Southern Africa-Indian Ocean

division

ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

FAMILIES IN THE FAMILY OF GOD

SEVENTH-DAY

ADVENTIST CHURCH

ADULT

SABBATH SCHOOL

BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

Jan

■

Feb

■

Mar 2006

Jan

■

Feb

■

Mar 2006

L. Kivu

L. Malawi

L. Tanganyika

Lake Kariba

Lake

Mweru

Congo R.

ongo R.

Kasai R.

Limpopo R.

Orange R.

Vaal R.

Zambezi R.

Zambezi

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

INDIAN

OCEAN

Maseru

Windhoek

Luanda

Namibe

Lusaka

Bloemfontein

Mbabane

Johannesburg

Cape Town

Pretoria

Kitwe

Harawe

Lilongwe

Beira

Gaborone

Kasame

NAMIBIA

ANGOLA

BOTSWANA

ZAMBIA

MALAWI

ZIMBABWE

MOZAMBIQUE

SOUTH AFRICA

LESOTHO

SWAZILAND

MADAGASCAR

SEYCHELLES

COMOROS

REUNION

MAURITIUS

*EAQ060101*

Where legally possible, offerings will go to these projects; otherwise special arrangement will be made with the

General Conference for distribution of funds based on the laws of the countries where these offerings are collected.

Unions Churches Companies Members Population

Angola Union Mission 873 1,015 253,410 13,459,000

Botswana Union Mission 71 114 24,349 1,684,000

Indian Ocean Union Mission 424 822 89,325 20,416,000

Malawi Union Mission 1,205 1,471 233,300 11,938,000

Mozambique Union Mission 937 2,614 186,724 19,182,000

Southern Africa Union Conference 804 489 95,499 51,715,000

Zambia Union Mission 1,470 3,322 455,209 10,920,000

Zimbabwe Union Conference 824 2,014 427,762 12,672,000

Total 6,608 11,861 1,765,578 141,986,000

in the Family of God

●

Families

Mission Projects

● Dormitory for Malawi Adventist College.

● Dormitories and classroom block for Mozambique Seminary.

For more information, visit www.adventistmission.org

Contents

Editorial Assistant

Larie S. Gray

Pacific Press

Coordinator

Paul A. Hey

Art Director and Illustrator

Lars Justinen

Concept Design

Dever Design

Editorial Office 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904

Principal Contributor

Ronald M. Flowers

Editor

Clifford R. Goldstein

Associate Editor

Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti

Publication Manager

Soraya Homayouni Parish

The Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is prepared by the Office of the Adult

Bible Study Guide of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The

prepar

ation of the guides is under the general direction of the Sabbath School

Pub

lications Board, a subcommittee of the General Conference Administrative

Committee (ADCOM), pub

lisher of the Bible study guides. The published guide

reflects the input of w

orldwide evaluation committees and the approval of the

Sab

bath School Publications Board and thus does not solely or necessarily repre-

sent the intent of the author(s).

1 A Family of Families—December 31–January 6—————————6

2 God’s Word on Family Living—January 7-13 —————————14

3 Restoration—January 14-20 —————————————————22

4 Living With Lambs—January 21-27 —————————————30

5 Disciples Making Disciples—January 28–February 3——————38

6 Wise Words for Families—February 4-10 ———————————46

7 The Royal Love Song—February 11-17 ————————————56

8 Keys to Family Unity—February 18-24 ————————————64

9 Homes of Peace and Healing—February 25–March 3 —————72

10 Families of Faith—March 4-10 ————————————————80

11 What Have They Seen in Your House?—March 11-17 —————88

12 Turning Hearts in the End Time—March 18-24 ————————96

In response to the lawyer’s question

about which was the greatest command-

ment, Jesus said: “ ‘ “Love the Lord your

God with all your heart and with all your

soul and with all your mind.” This is the

first and greatest commandment. And the

second is like it: “Love your neighbor as

yourself ” ’ ”

(Matt. 22:37-39, NIV).

Obviously, God cares about our relation-

ships; otherwise, He would not have

named loving others as the most important command besides loving

Him. It’s no coincidence Jesus linked these two commands: Love for

God cannot be manifested in any way other than love for others.

God created people as indi

viduals with unique character traits that

make them who they are. Yet, He created them also as social beings

who enter into relationships with others. And nowhere is our relation-

ship with others more important, more fraught with both temporal

and eternal consequences, than in the family. Here so much of who

we are, either for good or for ill, is determined.

Though living as a Christian at home is crucial, it can be challeng-

ing, even harder than in public, where it is easier to put on façades. At

home, generally, the masks come off. It is a lot easier to fool others

than to fool those with whom you share the same table, the same

rooms, the same bed day after day, year after year. If you can be a

Christian at home, you can be one anywhere.

Families fit into God’s design as centers in which individuals expe-

rience intimate association with others and are prepared for the great-

est intimacy of all—a relationship with God. In the family both chil-

dren and adults may have a warm experience that reflects the Creator

and that encourages them in loving discipleship. On the other hand,

because of pseudolove or indifference, people may leave their home

with emotional and spiritual problems that are often difficult to erase.

Just as our homes have the greatest potential to do the most good,

they also can do the most harm. No wonder that the Bible says so

much about f

amily life. So much depends upon it.

amilies in the

Love for God

cannot be

manifested

in any other

way than love

for others.

Christian families face the challenge of seeking to live according to

God’s will for life and for relationships, even as each individual mem-

ber finds himself or herself falling short of that will

(Rom. 3:23).

That’s why, first and foremost, true Christians grasp by faith the sin-

less life of Christ and claim that life as their own, the foundation upon

which they can build a relationship with God that will enhance their

relationships with their own family

(Eph. 5:2).

The wonder of our faith is the good news that God knows all about

us. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and is full of compassion and

longsuf

fering. Knowing this about Him, even experiencing for our-

selves His love for us despite our faults, we do the same to others,

especially those in our own family. Through family relationships God

wants to show His love to the world. As families learn to live together

according to the Word of God, His grace is diffused to all whose lives

they touch, winsomely drawing others to Jesus.

Mar

riage and family, along with the Sabbath, are two institutions

passed to humankind from Eden. Equally the w

ork of the Creator’s

hand

, the

y are indissolubly linked

and meant to bring glory to God

and blessings to humanity. As creationists raised up to give voice to

Revelation’s call to worship the One who made all things

(see Rev.

14:7),

Seventh-day Adventists have lifted up the Sabbath, reminding

the world of the Creator’s rest. Marriage and family, in their own way,

also recall Creation, when a merciful Maker prepared a place for

humanity to rest, a haven where the power of His love draws diversity

into oneness, where a promise is a promise and commitment means

commitment. This place of rest, this haven, is the home.

However, this quarter’s study has been written in the sad recognition

that for many, this haven doesn’t exist as it should. Our goal, if noth-

ing else, is through study of the Word to help homes and families be

what God would have them to be: more loving, more secure in Christ.

Ron Flowers, author of this quarter’s study guide, has worked in the

department of Family Ministries at the General Conference since

1980. He has been teac

hing and writing on family issues for many

year

s. He and his wif

e, Karen, have two adult children.

amily of god

Got

Questions

Sabbath School

University

has answers!

Sabbath School University is a

28-minute discussion of the Adult

Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. SSU

discusses the content and strategies to

enrich your Sabbath School with

fellowship, outreach, Bible study,

and missions. Sabbath School leaders,

don’t miss this weekly broadcast on

Hope Channel.

www.hopetv.org

Your weekly Mission Offering supports life-changing projects around the

world. For more information and to give your Mission Offering online, visit

www.adventistmission.orgwww.adventistmission.org

Malawi Adventist College is growing, expanding to offer

degrees in business, English, and education. The college

needs more classrooms, more dormitories to serve the

growing number of students. Currently nine students

crowd into what should be a small married-student

apartment.

Part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will

help ease the growing pains at Malawi Adventist College

and will make life-changing differences for these students

today and for the church in Malawi in the years to come.

L ESSON

*December 31–January 6

A Family of Families

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Gen. 2:18-25; 27:1–28:5;

Matt. 10:35-37; John 17:11, 21, 22; Acts 9:17; 21:8, 9; Rom. 16:1;

1 Cor. 4:14, 15; Gal. 4:5; 1 John 4:8, 16.

Memory T

ext:

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and

foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the

household of God, having been built on the foundation of the

apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cor-

nerstone”

(Ephesians 2:19, 20, NKJV).

The Week at a Glance:

Through our family, both in our

households and in His church, God longs for us to experience His

self-giving love.

aurice and Sara, newly baptized Adventists who lived in a

crime-ridden area, told the pastor they wanted to move to a

safer place, one closer to the church, so their two daughters

could attend church school. With their permission the pastor shared

their hopes with the congregation. Before long a member spotted an

empty apartment not far from the church. It was just what the family

had been hoping for, but their hope fell at the news of the large secu-

rity deposit. Telephones rang, and by the next day donations by

church members helped Maurice and Sara make the deposit and the

first month’s rent. Church members cleaned both apartments and

moved them across town. Exhausted but exhilarated, Maurice stood

before the church the next Sabbath and beamed with gratitude. A man

of fe

w w

ords, he said onl

, “I’m so glad I ha

ve a family!”

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 7.

SUNDAY

January 1

Family Roots

When He brought together the first man and the first woman in

marriage in the Garden of Eden, the Creator formed the first family.

Study

the origin of the family (Gen. 2:18-25). What purpose for the

family is evident in this account?

____________________________________________________________________

“ ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’ ” (Gen. 2:18, NIV).

Companionship is one of the first purposes of families. Scripture uses

family and household to describe social units made up of relatives and

sometimes domestic helpers, all dwelling together in companionship.

Together, families fend off loneliness and provide for the needs of

each person (compare Lev. 25:49; Ruth 2:20; Ps. 68:5, 6).

A special companionship. With the marriage of the first couple,

God supplied a very special kind of companionship. He intended hus-

bands and wives to experience a unique union He called “one flesh”

(Gen. 2:24). To the married couple He entrusted another of His pur-

poses for families—the bearing and rearing of children

(Gen. 1:28).

What

deeper meaning of the family emerges from reflection on the

nature and Personhood of God and the creation of humankind in

His image? Gen. 1:26-28. Compare John 17:11, 21, 22; 1 John 4:8, 16.

____________________________________________________________________

What we can see in Christ’s words is the unity and the loving rela-

tionship within the Godhead Itself. Think of the meaning and purpose

this gives to life in our individual households, which, in their own

way, can reflect the self-giving love seen within the Trinity! No won-

der family becomes a major metaphor in the New Testament for the

church, the household of faith

(Gal. 6:10).

Companionship, we see, is one of the fundamental components

of family life. How much time do you spend being a companion

to other family members? What things should you give up that

would allow you to spend more time with your family?

MONDAY

January 2

Jesus’ Affirmation of Families

What

do the following texts tell us about Jesus’ attitude toward fam-

ily relationships?

Matt. 19:4-6

____________________________________________________________________

Mark 7:9-13

____________________________________________________________________

John 5:17, 18

____________________________________________________________________

John 19:26, 27

____________________________________________________________________

The divine plan for family living got a boost from the ministry of

Jesus. He left no uncertainty about God’s plan for marriage, espe-

ciall

y when the Pharisees quizzed Him about divorce. The fifth com-

mandment about honoring parents was in His mind as He rebuked the

Pharisees who encouraged adult children to give as an offering the

money that should have been spent upon their aging parents. Probably

Jesus’ greatest acknowledgment of the parent-child relationship came

when He talked about God as His Father. On the cross He expressed

love and care for His mother, Mary. During that terrible time He made

sure the woman who had cradled Him, cherished Him, and, at times

through the years, wondered at Him, got the best care He could give

in the home of His trusted disciple.

Some

statements of Jesus about families may need some clarifica-

tion

(Matt. 10:35-37, Mark 3:32-35, Luke 9:59-62, 14:26). Why do

you think Jesus said these things? How can they be reconciled

with His approval elsewhere of family life?

____________________________________________________________________

He who set people in families from the beginning did not change

His mind about them during His earthly ministry. Just as He planned

at Creation, the Son of God upheld them as sources of nurture, sup-

port, and strength. However important, families must be seen in the

light of the higher loyalty to God.

Since God calls us to commitment to Him in both our chur

ch and

family experience, how can energy, time, and resources be fairly

distributed between these two? What dangers exist for those who,

so busy in their work for God, neglect their family commitments?

TUESDAY

January 3

A Variety of Families

Consider

the various kinds of households in Bible times: Genesis

27:1–28:5; Ruth 1:22; 2:23; Jeremiah 16:2; Hosea 1:2, 3, 6, 8;

3:1-3. What others can you think of?

Isaac and Rebekah lived with their adult son, Jacob, and his married

twin brother, Esau. The grieving widows Naomi and Ruth, bound

together as mother and daughter-in-law, found refuge together.

Jeremiah was single. Hosea parented his three children alone before

he was reconciled to Gomer. Still other Bible families include the sib-

lings Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, who had a home in Bethany where

Jesus visited (John 11:1-3, 20); Aquila and Priscilla, married but

apparently never had children (Acts 18:2, 18; 1 Cor. 16:19); and the

family of grandmother Lois, her daughter Eunice, and grandson

Timothy, in Lystra. Timothy’s Greek father may have separated from

the family as an unbeliever (Acts 16:1, 2 Tim. 1:5; compare 1 Cor.

7:15).

Acceptance of different family types. That God loved and cared

about such diverse families is a source of abundant encouragement in

our world today. It should also lead to appreciation of widely varied

family types within His church.

What

core values for family living are continually present in

Scripture?

Gen. 2:24, 25; Exod. 20:14; Lev. 18:22; Prov. 5:18-20;

Matt. 19:6; Rom. 1:26, 27; 1 Cor. 7:3-5; Heb. 13:4.

God’s gracious dealings throughout salvation history bear witness

to His mercy toward humankind in a world distorted by sin, where the

divine blueprint for families is rarely replicated. There are, however,

certain core values that frequently appear throughout Scripture,

intended to preserve and, where necessary, restore and elevate God’s

gift of sexuality to the human family. These values hold that sexual

intimacy is a mutual expression of love reserved for the monogamous

marriage of a man and a woman only (the Bible knows nothing of

same-sex

marriages). Many types of families in which a commitment

to these values exists can be accommodated; yet relationships in

which sexuality is otherwise expressed, or exploited, ultimately under-

mine God’

s design for mar

riage and de

rade humanity.

Is there anyone in your church who is living in a household

differ

ent fr

om y

our own? How can you show this person, or such

people, appreciation and support?

WEDNESDAY

January 4

One Is a Whole Number

When present households in the family of God are counted, those of

single adults represent a large and growing segment. Whenever and

wherever society or the church hold up marriage as the norm, often it

is difficult for these individuals to feel normal and whole. Often they

do not feel as though they truly belong.

Consider

the circumstances of these single adults. In what ways

did they contribute to the cause of God? Elijah (1 Kings 17:1–

2 Kings 2:11);

Anna (Luke 2:36-38); John the Baptist (Matt. 11:7-

11); Philip’s daughters (Acts 21:8, 9). What other Bible characters

remained single?

____________________________________________________________________

The option to live singly. For many people, singleness is a season of

life, either preceding or following marriage. For others, singleness is

a positive lifetime choice. They recognize that although many people

get married, God also gives His sons and daughters the option to live

singly. For still others, singleness is not really a choice but an agoniz-

ing and reluctant consent to circumstances in which suitable partners

are una

vailable or marriage would be inappropriate.

Paul supported marriage in his teaching and writing, but he person-

ally held that because of the work to be done for Christ in a short time,

singleness was preferable. This was especially true if individuals had

the gift for singleness; that is, if they felt led of God to make such a

choice. The fellowship of the church must include both single and

married people. In the choices they make and challenges they face,

single people need to be understood and affirmed as persons rather

than minimized, as often happens (even if unintentionally).

Personal value and completeness are ultimately related not to one’s

single or married situation but to one’s response in faith to Christ. In

Him who draws everyone to Himself, all are complete

(Col. 2:10).

Who are the single people in your church? How can you relate

to them in a positive manner, one that affirms them in their

present circumstances?

____________________________________________________________________

THURSDAY

January 5

Household of Households

Discover

the family imagery in the following texts describing life

in the church: John 20:17; Acts 9:17; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians

4:14, 15; Galatians 4:5; 1 Timothy 5:2.

Just as the human family was to reflect the Creator’s relational

nature, so the church is to be an even more exquisite replica of the har-

monious, giving, loving relationship known within the Godhead.

Family terms—birth, adoption, mother, father, sister, brother—pro-

vide a new vocabulary, a whole new way of talking about the human

relationship with God and of human beings with one another.

A template for the church. The Holy Spirit uses common family rela-

tionships to describe a community in which new births are embraced,

diversity is accommodated, strengths are affirmed, and people are

encouraged to grow. If the word family calls up warm feelings for us,

we likely will embrace this view of the church. Sadly for some, family

means painful memories. For these, other images of the church may

have more appeal. Yet, God is a relational Being. He formed humanity

with relational capacities, and it is comforting to know that although

family may fail us, in His church He provides for rest, healing, and

experiences of surpassing family love

(compare Ps. 27:10).

How

does the idea of the church as a household (Gal. 6:10, Eph. 2:19)

open the doors to include everybody?

“Household of faith” calls to mind the sense of belonging that fam-

ilies build in one another and the attitude of neighborliness that has

always characterized well-functioning family relationships. Many

people, who have received Christ individually as their personal

Savior, come as households or families to church. Others attend

alone. In a sense, though, their families are with them, for each has

been shaped by their family experience, and each will always be part

of a family somewhere. Church, then, is quite literally a household of

households, a family of families. The first Christians broke bread

“from house to house”; yet, they were one church

(Acts 2:46, 47). First

Corinthians 12 shows the importance of valuing, incorporating, nur-

turing, and utilizing all the individual parts in the complex organism.

How is your experience of family at church similar to or differ-

ent fr

om y

our present home or the one in which you grew up?

Identify a Christian quality of your current home that could

make a difference in life at your church. What one quality of life

at church would you like to bring home?

FRIDAY

January 6

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “The Eden Home a Pattern,” The

Adventist Home, pp. 25–28; “Who Are My Brethren?” The Desire of

Ages, pp. 321–327.

Untidy living rooms. “The churches of the Revelation show us that

churches are not Victorian parlors where everything is always picked

up and ready for guests. They are messy family rooms. Entering a per-

son’s house unexpectedly, we are sometimes met with a barrage of

apologies. St. John does not apologize. Things are out of order, to be

sure, but that is what happens to churches that are lived in. They are

not show rooms. They are living rooms, and if the persons living in

them are sinners, there are going to be clothes scattered about, hand-

prints on the woodwork, and mud on the carpet. For as long as Jesus

insists on calling sinners and not the righteous to repentance—and

there is no indication as yet that he has changed his policy in that

regard—churches are going to be an embarrassment to the fastidious

and an affront to the upright.”—Eugene H. Peterson,

Living the

Message (HarperSanFrancisco, 1996), p. 71.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, discuss how the church should relate to those who

are living in a family relationship that goes against the

Scriptures. How do we show them Christ’s love and acceptance in

a way that doesn’t condone their actions?

● For singles to gain a sense of wholeness and belonging can be

difficult in a culture that holds up marriage as the standard.

What can you as a class do to reach out to singles in your own

church and show them they are a valued part of the church fam-

ily?

Summary:

“Family” is God’s idea. He formed the human family as an

expression of His own relational nature. He has ordained both indi-

vidual families and the church as a family of families to express His

sacrificial love within both these circles of close companionship.

tor

INSIDE

Casting Lots Determines the Truth

by STANLEY SAMUEL

Johnny is a bricklayer in southern India. Most of what he earned went to

buy drinks. His wife kept a cow and sold the milk to feed the family. The

family suffered financially and emotionally from Johnny’s excesses, and

even his colleagues at work worried about him.

While seeking treatment for their daughter, who had a serious health

problem, the family was introduced to God. They began reading the Bible

and listening to Christian radio programs.

Johnny noticed that the speakers contradicted one another. He listened

carefully to the messages and looked up the Bible references to validate each

point. Still Johnny could not determine which speaker spoke the truth, so

they decided to cast lots, as the disciples had done in Acts. They fasted and

prayed, then they wrote the names of the radio programs on pieces of paper.

Johnny held the papers in his hand as his mother drew one out. They read

the program's name:

The Voice of Prophecy. From that day on, they listened

only to The Voice of Prophecy. The family did not know that the program is

sponsored by Adventists.

Shortly after this, a group of Adventist pastors and lay workers visited

Johnny’s village and invited people to attend a Bible study group. When they

reached Johnny’s home, they introduced themselves as representing The

Voice of Prophecy. They invited the family to attend their Bible study group.

Johnny was amazed and told them how God had shown them that this radio

ministry spoke the truth. Johnny’s wife attended the Bible study worship

first, asking the members to pray for her health. When she was healed,

Johnny began attending the Bible study group, as well. They accepted the

Bible truths they learned, and six months later they were baptized.

Jeeva, Johnny’s daughter, wanted to keep the Sabbath, but she worked six

days a week. She was able to get several Sabbaths off before her supervisor

questioned her reasons for wanting every Saturday off. When she explained

that she wanted to keep the Sabbath, Jeeva was fired. Although disappointed

to lose her job, Jeeva rejoiced that she could worship God on His holy day.

The family praised God that Jeeva was willing to stand firm, and they

prayed that God would bless them in their financial difficulties.

Johnny’s colleagues noticed that Johnny stopped drinking. He responded

to their questions by inviting them to the Bible study group. Johnny and his

amil

y radiate God’

s lo

e as they share the good news of salvation with those

they meet.

STANLEY SAMUEL is president of North Kerala Section in southern India.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*January 7-13

God’s Word on

Family Living

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Exod. 20:12, Ps. 18:2, Song

of Solomon, Isa. 54:5, 62:5, John 10:11, 15:5, Eph. 5:21-25.

Memor

y Text:

“For everything that was written in the past was

written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encour-

agement of the Scriptures we might have hope”

(Romans 15:4,

NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

Within the pages of His Word,

God has unfolded His plans and purposes for families.

isitors to a science theater were given special eyeglasses. In the

darkened room the group saw dramatic nature scenes on a

large screen. First, they looked at the pictures without the

glasses; afterward, they put the glasses on, and when they did, a photo

of an orchard in full bloom brought gasps from the crowd: “Oh, how

magnificent!” “What a difference!” It seemed as if the branches stuck

out from the screen over their heads. Like these three-dimensional

glasses, a change of perspective in looking at Scripture can help us see

and appreciate old truths in fresh ways. This week we will put on

famil

y glasses

and vie

w the different ways in which God in His Word

has revealed truths about families and family living. This perspective

transforms the Bible into a contemporary textbook for life in our

homes, as well as in the church, the household of faith.

*Study this w

eek’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 14.

SUNDAY

January 8

Family Commandments

One way in which Scripture presents its message on family life is

through relational directives. Some of these command statements apply

broadly to all relationships; some address neighborliness and friend-

ship; while others are given for husbands, wives, parents, and children.

What

do the following texts teach us about the kinds of “relational

directives” we have been given by the Lord?

Exod. 20:12

____________________________________________________________________

Exod. 20:14

____________________________________________________________________

Deut. 6:6, 7

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 5:18, 19

____________________________________________________________________

Eph. 5:21-25

____________________________________________________________________

Eph. 5:33

____________________________________________________________________

Eph. 6:4

____________________________________________________________________

Col. 3:20

____________________________________________________________________

1 Pet. 3:7

____________________________________________________________________

The quality of marriage and parent-child relationships are impor-

tant to God. Three of the Ten Commandments focus directly on fam-

ily life: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exod. 20:12, NKJV),

“You shall not commit adultery” (vs. 14, NKJV), “You shall not covet

your neighbor’s wife”

(vs. 17, NKJV). Other specific directives flesh

out God’s expectations for marriage, parent-child relationships, and

life in families. General relational directives, such as “ ‘love your ene-

mies’ ”

(Matt. 5:44, NIV), “ ‘do to others what you would have them

do to you’ ” (Matt. 7:12, NIV), and “ ‘love one another’ ” (John 13:34,

NIV) apply equally to relationships at home.

Go back over those relational directives and ask yourself, In

hich ar

ea(s) do I need to make some changes, and what will it

take in order for me to make those changes?

MONDAY

January 9

Family Narratives

Bible stories provide glimpses into people’s lives. The accounts

show how, over the course of individuals’ lives, they reap the conse-

quences of their choices and grow in spite of setbacks. Through these

stories we see how God abides with His people, even through difficult

times.

Capture

the flavor of a Bible narrative by reading Ruth 1 and 2

(you might even want to read the whole story). What lessons can

you learn here about family living?

Not unlike many families today, this Bible family was hit by a series

of life-changing losses. Famine, relocation to another country, death

of her husband, and death of both sons left Naomi reeling. As the story

opens, she despairs, feeling mournful, bitter, and alone. However, as

this book shows so well, family means committed companionship. It

means helping one another in troubled times and caring for the help-

less. Ruth, Naomi’s Moabite daughter-in-law, exhibits extraordinary

faith in God. She shows this by her loyalty and service to the despondent

Naomi. Faced with incredible hardship, these two unfortunate

souls finally get real help from a perceptive wealthy relative—Boaz.

In fulfilling his legal responsibility (and also obviously acting out of

love), Boaz marries Ruth. Those who enjoy a love story are treated to

an example of the One who loves with an everlasting love, who does

not rest until He, like Boaz, obtains the object of His love. In the end,

the baby born to Boaz and Ruth softens the painful memories and

provides joy for the present and hope for the future.

Ourselves in view. Stories like these are in the Bible for a purpose.

They instruct, inspire, correct, and train God’s people in right living

(Rom. 15:4, 2 Tim. 3:16). Readers find themselves in them and take

comfort in the fact they are not alone in temptation and trial, in strug-

gles and setbacks. The Scriptures’ honesty about the weaknesses and

mistakes of others reveals pitfalls and how to avoid them. Further, we

see good qualities we want to copy for ourselves. God’s longsuffering

and patience inspire our hearts with courage and hope that He who

never changes will be with us today also.

What could you learn from the story of Ruth that could help

you and your family through a bad time?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

January 10

Principles of Relationships

Quite a different category of scriptural instruction about relation-

ships is found in the Bible’s presentation of

relational principles. The

book of Proverbs has the greatest collection of this material.

What

truths do these examples of relational principles convey? How

do you think the writer reached his inspired conclusions?

Prov. 12:25

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 15:1

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 17:9

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 17:22

____________________________________________________________________

Solomon was a keen observer of nature, and because his capital,

Jerusalem, sat right on the trade routes, he had contacts with people

from many parts of the world. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he made a

special study of people; his careful observations, scattered throughout

Proverbs, speak of universal principles that govern human feelings

and reactions.

Principles implanted by the Creator. The universal principles of

emotions and relationships Solomon observed reflect the truth

described by Ellen White when she wrote, “The senses, the faculties

of the mind . . . were placed under law.”—

The Ministry of Healing,

p. 415. Though sin has damaged God’s creation, human behavior in

relationships is still shaped by the laws He implanted within human

beings. To discover and apply the insights gained from these princi-

ples is to acquire the keys to better family living.

How

do you think these implanted relational principles have been

affected by sin? What difference does the gospel make? Compare

Matthew 12:34, 35 with Philippians 2:2-11 as you think about

your answer.

Like an infectious computer virus, sin corrupts the core of

human beings,

endering them self-center

ed and fouling the

functioning of all their physical, mental, social, emotional, and

spiritual processes. The gospel puts people right with God and

with one another through Christ

(2 Cor. 5:18, 19).

WEDNESDAY

January 11

The Royal Love Poem

Further insights on the principles governing relationships, espe-

cially the intimate life within marriage, are found in the divinely

inspired poetry of the Song of Solomon.

Match

the verses in Column A with the characteristics of intimate

relationships found in Column B.

Column A

Column B

a. Song of Sol. 1:9, 14, 16; 2:3;

4:1, 3, 7; 5:10-16; 6:9; 7:1.

__Expressing commitment.

b. Song of Sol. 1:15, 2:14, 4:9, 5:12,

6:5.

__Being totally honest, open, vul-

nerable with each other.

c. Song of Sol. 1:2, 2:6, 7:8, 8:3.

__Using terms of endearment, ex-

pressing appreciation, giving affir-

mation and honest compliments.

d. Song of Sol. 1:6, 2:2, 6:5, 8:10. __Communicating face to face,

making eye contact.

e. Song of Sol. 2:10-13, 17; 7:11,

12.

__Treating each other as friends.

f. Song of Sol. 5:16. __Spending time together, playing

together.

g. Song of Sol. 2:16; 6:3; 8:6, 7. __Showing feelings through touch.

The Song of Solomon reflects upon the love between Solomon and

a woman called “Shulamite” or “Shulamith,” who evidently was his

first true love and leading queen (Song of Sol. 6:9, 13). The poem

emphasizes aspects of their love rather than a chronological history of

their relationship.

God draws back the curtain on marital intimacy. Through the expe-

riences of this couple, the Bible presents the relationship principles

involved in forming close friendships and in fashioning the intimate

love and covenant commitment of marriage. God Himself chose mar-

riage as a figure of His relationship with His people. Thus, the discov-

eries of lo

e in this poem af

ford priceless insights into the g

randest lo

relationship of all—the bond between Christ and the soul.

y is it important to address the

hear

as w

ell as the

head in

understanding relationships?

THURSDAY

January 12

The Divine Parent and Marriage

Partner

What

family terms and imagery are applied to God in the following

sets of texts?

Isa. 54:5, 62:5, Jer. 31:32 and Isa. 66:12, 13; Jer. 31:9;

Hos. 11:1.

God refers to Himself as the Husband of Israel. The imagery is

repeated in the New Testament, where Christ is the Bridegroom and

His bride is the church. God also is represented in Scripture as a par-

ent, usually as a father, though some of the comparisons are maternal;

for example “like a woman in childbirth” (Isa. 42:14, NIV) or as a

“hen gathereth her chickens under her wings” (Matt. 23:37).

Gazing upon the perfect Marriage Partner and Parent. Watching

others is one of the main ways human beings learn. In His Word God

permits us to gaze upon Him as the perfect expression of love in mar-

riage and parenting. The family metaphors for God show us more of

what our families can be like. They also have the effect of drawing us

closer to Him as we come to know Him in family terms.

Principles for study. Comparisons that liken God to a husband or

parent contain valuable principles for us to study. They are not

intended, however, to be literal blueprints for the responsibilities of

married partners or parents. The scriptural imagery is frequently tied

to local customs. For example, in Ezekiel 16:6-14, God’s association

with Israel is likened to the betrothal and marital customs of the time

when a groom spread his garment over the bride, and she, in turn, was

washed, anointed, and adorned in preparation for the wedding festivi-

ties. More important, the analogies are limited, because humans are

not God. All human attempts at intimacy pale into insignificance

when compared to the constancy, faithfulness, and closeness God dis-

plays toward those He loves. Yet, we are hopeful, for God has been

revealed in Jesus Christ. He beckons us to love as He loved and to be

empowered for such loving through the gift of His Spirit.

What other Bible images of God might be helpful to those whose

memories or experiences in a marriage or with parents make

these family metaphors painful for them? See, for instance, Ps.

18:2, John 10:11, 15:5.

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

January 13

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Bible Biographies,” Testimonies

for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 9–15; Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 19–22.

Selecting relevant Scripture. Though the Scriptures are the basis for

understanding God’s plan for family living, not every statement

applies literally to all people in all eras, such as the death penalty for

a rebellious son

(Deut. 21:18-21) or for a wife who had been sexually

promiscuous before marriage (Deut. 22:20, 21).

Detecting God’s will for families as revealed in Scripture today

involves:

● Studying the theological and historical context of the message

● Determining the original meanings of words

● Comparing texts on a topic with other similar passages, looking

for corroboration by other Scripture writers, and understanding the

application and adaptation made by New Testament writers of Old

Testament material

● Discovering broad-based principles and even details that apply to

today’s family issues

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, discuss this question: If there is any one factor that

is crucial to a healthy family, what is it? Is there more than one

factor? If so, what are they?

● As a class, go through some of the imagery used to describe

how God relates to us. Who in the class prefers certain images

over others, and why? What should these different preferences

tell us about how God relates to different people?

Summary:

Scripture employs a variety of means to convey instruc-

tion for family living. These include God’s direct commands, various

marriage and family examples, proverbs describing relationship prin-

ciples, and His own modeling as a divine Husband and Parent.

Nurtured and guided by such revelation, family members grow closer

to Him and to one another.

tor

INSIDE

Like Sheep Among Wolves*

by JEANE ZACHARY

The Waldensian Christians suffered persecution and death at the hands of the

religious majority in Europe, beginning in the thirteenth century. They lived in

secluded regions and dedicated themselves to sharing the truths of God with

their neighbors in spite of the dangers they faced. Many became door-to-door

salespersons in order to search for honest-hearted people with whom to share

their beliefs. When they discovered someone who was open to God’s message,

they shared precious portions of Scripture with them.

Today modern Adventists are using similar techniques to bring Christ to

unentered areas of Southeast Asia where few Christians live. These Adventists

volunteer to live and work in unentered communities where they daily face the

threat of persecution. For this reason we will not reveal their location.

The work is rigorous, and most of the volunteers are young people. So, the

program’s leaders were surprised when Jaibi, well beyond her youth, volun-

teered to go to a distant unentered community to work. She knew that she would

receive housing but would have to earn her income by selling health books. She

was so determined to go that she shared her excitement with friends. By the time

she left, she had recruited 40 other volunteers to go with her.

Jaibi was asked to supervise her large team. As the group prayed and worked

together, the Holy Spirit opened door after door. They found the community

happy to learn the health principles the volunteers taught. Friendships devel-

oped, and soon small groups formed. It was not long before the volunteers called

a pastor to prepare their interests for baptism.

Jaibi continued working in the village far beyond her one-year contract. In

three years she and her team had planted five new congregations, a feat that

could never have happened through public evangelism.

The strength of the Waldensian-style program lies in three things: Door-to-door

visits, offering people valuable health materials; developing friendships that

open the way for small groups to study the Bible; and the power of the Holy

Spirit to open doors and bring conviction to people.

Some volunteers who came with Jaibi have returned to their homes, but oth-

ers have joined her in this work. So far Jaibi and her team of volunteers have just

witnessed an additional 105 persons baptized as the result of the blessing of the

Lord on their work.

The inspiring example of the ancient Waldensian volunteers who spread the

gospel through Europe as merchant-evangelists lives on today in Southeast Asia.

* See Matthew 10:16.

JEANE ZA

CHAR

lives in Calif

ornia.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:inf

o@ad

ventistmission.or

g website:www

.ad

ventistmission.org

L ESSON

*January 14-20

Restoration

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Gen. 1:26-28; 2:24, 25;

Gen. 3:1-24; Matt. 19:3-5; Luke 17:21; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 1:4; 6:2;

Eph. 3:17-19.

Memory Text:

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the

marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all

the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

Though the institution of mar-

riage was distorted by sin, the gospel can restore marriage to its

original purity and beauty.

arriage was divinely instituted by God as a permanent,

monogamous union of a man and a woman. It was meant to

be a blessing, another aspect of His great work of creation.

Marriage was, perhaps, the greatest pre-Fall manifestation of His infi-

nite love for humanity. How tragic, then, that the openness, equality,

and mutuality of the first human pair were supplanted by the curse

brought on by their sin. The race has been living with those dire con-

sequences ever since. With Christ, however, a new day dawned for the

institution, as well as for the marital experience of couples. In Him,

husband and wife may know a restoration of God’s plan for marriage.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 21.

SUNDAY

January 15

The Genesis Marriage

Jesus

discussed marriage in reply to a question about divorce. What

source did He use? What points did He make? Matt. 19:3-5.

Compare Gen. 1:26-28; 2:24, 25.

____________________________________________________________________

Using Genesis 1 and 2, Christ reaffirmed God’s creation plan for

marriage. Genesis 1:26-28 presents humankind in two genders, male

and female

(compare Gen. 5:2). They stand as equals before God,

both in His procreative blessing and in the stewardship over the earth.

Genesis 2 shows how the male and female were created and how mar-

riage got started. The need of the first human being for companion-

ship and sexual fulfillment led God to plan a “helper” for him (Gen.

2:18, NIV). The word helper frequently describes God in relationship

to humankind (compare Deut. 33:7, 26, 29). Following the extraordi-

nary surgery and the exquisite fashioning of this partner, God joined

them in marriage

(Gen. 2:21, 22). Ecstatically, the man acknowledged

his companion as “woman” (Heb. ishshah)—connected to him but

separate from himself as “man” (Heb. ish).

What

are some of the elements of marriage as outlined in Genesis

2:24?

Marriage—a permanent, exclusive union between a male and a

female—includes (1) leaving father and mother, (2) being joined to

each other, and (3) becoming one flesh. “Leave” implies the creation

of a distinct family unit with specific inviolable boundaries. “Joined”

refers to the couple’s mutual commitment expressed in a formal mar-

riage covenant. “Becoming one flesh” describes both the sexual union

and the lifelong process of growth in intimacy, unity, and fulfillment

that God intends a couple to experience in all aspects of their lives.

In what ways does the Eden marriage reflect principles that

should help define our relationship to God?

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

January 16

Crisis and Consolation

How

does the account of the fall into sin present the changed situa-

tion of marriage and of the marriage partners in their attitudes

toward God and toward each other? Genesis 3.

____________________________________________________________________

The first couple donned clothes made from fig leaves and hid from

God in the bushes! Here can be seen the tragic loss of physical, emo-

tional, and spiritual oneness they had known with their Creator and

with each other. Neither took responsibility for their actions. Each put

the blame elsewhere—he blamed her, and she blamed the snake. In

reality, they put the blame on God, who had created both.

How

does Genesis 3:16 present the change in the marital relationship

that resulted from sin?

____________________________________________________________________

Effects of the Fall on marriage. The original mutuality, coregency,

and equality were replaced by the subjection of the wife to the ruler-

ship of the husband. Down through history, wives often have been

viewed as the property of their husbands. Abuse has made many

women’s circumstances very hard. Ellen White comments on the

effects of the Fall: “But after Eve’s sin, as she was first in the trans-

gression, the Lord told her that Adam should rule over her. She was to

be in subjection to her husband, and this was a part of the curse.”

—

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 484. The subjection was not

because she was female but because “she was first in the transgres-

sion.” Also, the subjection was “part of the curse.”

In what ways do you see in your own life the tendency to shift

blame for your actions on others? What practical steps can you

take to change and be more open to responsibility for what you

do?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

January 17

Upholding Marriage

Read

the following texts. What principles do they present that are

absolutely essential for a good marriage?

Exod. 20:14, 17

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 5:15-20

____________________________________________________________________

Gal. 6:2

____________________________________________________________________

Phil. 2:4

____________________________________________________________________

In biblical thinking, close relationships are bound together by

covenants. The predominant covenant is one between God and His

people (Gen. 9:9-17, Isa. 55:3, Heb. 13:20). Human covenants are

binding commitments that include promises, privile

ges, and obliga-

tions—key factors in any marriage. These commitments, made before

God, endeavor to bring the qualities of divine faithfulness into human

relationships, where promises are so often unreliable (compare Deut.

7:9).

The prophet Ezekiel uses the human marriage covenant to describe

God in His relationship to His bride, Israel (Ezek. 16:8). The marriage

covenant is violated when the marital union has in some way been des-

ecrated; for example, when an adulterous wife leaves “the partner of

her youth,” ignoring “the covenant she made before God”

(Prov. 2:17,

NIV),

or when a husband repudiates the wife of his youth, the wife of

his “marriage covenant” (Mal. 2:14, NIV). Sacred promises made at

the beginning of marriage—in one’s “youth”—are intended to be hon-

ored throughout life.

Why is death to self so important in keeping any marriage

str

ong? In w

hat areas might you need more of this

death in an

of y

our r

elationships?

____________________________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

January 18

Restoration in Christ

“Marriage has been perverted by sin; but it is the purpose of the

gospel to restore its purity and beauty.”—Ellen G. White, Thoughts

From the Mount of Blessing, p. 64.

How

does the Bible portray the work of Christ in restoring what was

lost through sin? Luke 17:21, 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 1:4, Eph. 3:17-19.

What are the implications of these texts for marriage?

Though they await the release from the presence of sin, subjects of

Christ’s kingdom of grace are freed from sin’s penalty and power.

Believers seek to pattern their lives and relationships in harmony with

Christ’s will. For marriage, the Creator becomes Re-creator. By His

indwelling Spirit He calls and enables couples to exhibit love and

grace in their marriage. Eden lost can be Eden regained. By the study

of His plan, by prayer, and by His power married couples may grow

more and more toward marriage as it once was, with its spiritual, emo-

tional, and physical intimacy.

What

principle helps counteract the power of sin? Matt. 20:20-28;

John 13:4, 5, 12-17; compare Phil. 2:5-8.

What

specific words does Paul give to wives and to husbands? Eph.

5:22-33.

“The gospel emphasizes the love and submission of husband and wife

to one another (1 Cor. 7:3, 4; Eph. 5:21). The model for the husband’s

leadership is the self-sacrificial love and service that Christ gives to the

church (Eph. 5:24, 25). Both Peter and Paul speak about the need for

respect in the marriage relationship (1 Peter 3:7; Eph. 5:22, 23).”

—

Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Hagerstown, Md.: Review

and Herald

Pub. Assoc.) revised 2000, 16th edition, pp. 192, 193.

If married, what changes can you make in order to allow more

fully the principles of the gospel to control your marriage? If

unmarried,

in w

hat w

ays can these principles help you in other

relationships?

THURSDAY

January 19

The Creation Plan in a Fallen World

How

did Jesus acknowledge both the divine plan for marriage and

the reality confronting marriage in a fallen world? Matt. 19:3-9.

____________________________________________________________________

Jesus restated God’s plan for marriage as a permanent union of a

man and a woman. Christ’s followers seek to uphold this plan, know-

ing that what He desires He also enables by His grace and the

indwelling of His Spirit. Christians have a special obligation to

approach marriage prayerfully, to choose their partners wisely, and to

prepare carefully for the transition to marriage. Then, in marriage,

they must sacredly guard their commitment to each other, seeking

diligently for God’s grace in the work of adjusting to each other and

growing together.

Hardness of human hearts. While marriage is divinely instituted, its

subjects are fallen human beings. Marriages between Christian men

and women do sometimes break down. Jesus acknowledged that hard-

ness of human hearts led to the concession of divorce by Moses

(Matt.

19:8; compare Deut. 24:1-4), though Jesus Himself was very explicit

about how He viewed divorce.

When a mar

riage is in crisis, those who are able to minister to them

should do everything possible to help them experience reconciliation.

Divorce never should be taken lightly. Scripture provides guidance for

restoring damaged relationships

(Hos. 3:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; 13:4-7;

Gal. 6:1). When divorce has occurred, former partners should be

encouraged to seek divine grace to help them examine their experi-

ence and to learn the will of God for their lives. God provides com-

fort to those who have been wounded. He also accepts the heartfelt

repentance of individuals who commit the most destructive sins, even

those that carry with them irreparable consequences.

How is it possible for the church both to uphold God’s plan for

marriage and to be a community that shows understanding,

provides compassion, and assists believers in rebuilding their

lives after divorce?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

January 20

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “The Eden Home a Pattern,” The

Adventist Home, pp. 25–28; “The Builders of the Home,” The

Ministry of Healing,

pp. 356–362.

Entering marriage intelligently. “The family tie is the closest, the

most tender and sacred, of any on earth. It was designed to be a bless-

ing to mankind. And it is a blessing wherever the marriage covenant

is entered into intelligently, in the fear of God, and with due consider-

ation for its responsibilities.”—Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home,

p. 18.

Rulership. “Neither husband nor wife is to make a plea for ruler-

ship. The Lord has laid down the principle that is to guide in this mat-

ter. The husband is to cherish his wife as Christ cherishes the church.

And the wife is to respect and love her husband. Both are to cultivate

the spirit of kindness, being determined never to grieve or injure the

other.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 47.

Discussion Questions:

● Read the second Ellen G. White quote aloud in class. Discuss

the principles expressed there. What, if followed, would these

principles do for just about any marriage?

● Keeping your answers to the previous question in mind,

answer, as a class, this question: What factors are, so often, the

cause of divorce?

● How, at least in certain ways, are the principles of a good mar-

riage similar to the principles that could help someone maintain

other kinds of healthy relationships?

● As a class, make up a single paragraph, a kind of official

declaration, of what marriage vows should be.

Summary:

Though sin has damaged marriage, God through Christ is

working in us to restore what we have lost.

tor

INSIDE

Pathfinders Open Doors

by SETH NYARANGA

The Turkana people of northern Kenya knew little of the Adventist faith.

But when believers in the region organized a Pathfinder Club for these

people, many of the Turkana children joined.

The children took part in many of the activities Pathfinders around the

world enjoy, but they also engaged in their own form of evangelism, visit-

ing villages where groups of believers met and leading out in Pathfinder

Clubs there. Children from other Protestant denominations begged to join

Pathfinders and were welcomed into the clubs. Some Protestant churches

even asked if they could organize their own Pathfinder Clubs.

A camporee was planned that would incorporate these other Protestant

Pathfinder Clubs, using the camporee to introduce young people from

other faiths to the Adventist beliefs.

Marching and drilling attracts much attention and interest in Africa, and

many young people join just to learn marching skills.

The watchman at a Pathfinder camporee watched the young people take

part in their activities. He visited the evening meetings and listened to

Bible stories and the Christian songs the children eagerly sang. Later he

asked some of the leaders how he could enroll his son in Pathfinders and

was delighted to learn that there was a Pathfinder Club nearby that his son

could join. The watchman brought his son and stayed to watch the pro-

gram for a few minutes.

The boy continued to attend Pathfinders, though it was a long walk from

his home. He found a church with a Pathfinder Club closer to home.

Because of this boy’s involvement in Pathfinders, he and his parents have

been baptized.

This story has been repeated over and over as parents see the benefits of

Pathfinders for their children. Children invite their parents to attend spe-

cial events held in the church, and the parents are introduced to Adventist

beliefs.

Once, while Pathfinders were holding a camporee, they learned that a

neighbor’s calf had fallen into a reservoir and was in danger of drowning.

Some of the Pathfinder leaders quickly rescued the calf. When the owner

learned what had happened, he was impressed. Some members of this

man’s family have begun attending church because of the Pathfinders’

help.

Every activity of our churches can become a means of evangelism when

e in

vite those around us to join.

SETH NY

ARANGA

is a P

athf

inder leader and a student of accounting at the Univer

sity of

Eastern Africa in Baraton, Kenya.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:inf

o@ad

ventistmission.or

g website:www

.ad

ventistmission.or

L ESSON

*January 21-27

Living With Lambs

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Gen. 16:1; Deut. 8:5; Pss.

30:1-9; 50:10-12; 127:3; Prov. 3:11, 12; Mic. 6:8.

Memory Text:

“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers

the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gen-

tly leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

To have children is to be a parent-

steward. And God, in His Word, gives parent-stewards instruction

on how to execute their responsibilities faithfully.

hildren, indeed, are gifts from God; outside of life itself (both

temporal and eternal), they are the most wonderful of all gifts.

Yet, the greater the gift, the greater the responsibility upon

those who receive the gift. Thus, a precious opportunity, and solemn

calling, is open to all parents to share with their children the simple

good news of Jesus’ love and life-giving power. However important it

is to impart to our children the good news of Jesus and what He has

done for us all, children grasp truth first, not so much from what the

Bible teaches but from what their parents live. This week we’ll look at

some of the instructions the Gift-Giver gave to those whom He gave

such precious gifts.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 28.

SUNDAY

January 22

A Unique Stewardship

When God created the first human couple, He gave them dominion

over the earth. Along with this stewardship, they were privileged to

bear and rear children. The Bible considers children to be gifts from

God. Actually, children belong to Him; parents are, therefore,

accountable to God for the way they treat these offspring. “Children

are the heritage of the Lord, and we are answerable to Him for our

management of His property.”—Ellen G. White,

The Adventist Home,

p. 159.

What

do you think it means for children to be God’s “property”?

Study Psalms 50:10-12; 127:3; Isaiah 43:1, 7; and 1 Peter 2:9 as

you answer. How does this idea change the way we should perceive

children? What do these texts tell parents about their responsibil-

ity and obligations toward their children?

____________________________________________________________________

Everything is God’s by right of creation and by redemption, as well.

Though Satan claimed to be the rightful ruler of this planet after sin,

God reclaimed His rulership of the world through Christ. This

reclaiming includes everyone, even children. Parents must always

remember whose children their children really are. This is certainly

one case where no one wants to be deemed an “unjust steward”

(Luke

16:8).

When

you think of parenting as a unique stewardship, what insights

come to mind? Why is this kind of stewardship different from

every other kind? What might faithful stewardship of children

mean?

1 Cor. 4:2.

____________________________________________________________________

Good managers ask advice from the owner of the property they

manage. Godly parents likewise seek through prayer and Bible

study to be guided as they rear their children. Manoah and his

wife ask

ed the right questions,

“Ho

w shall w

e or

der the child

[Samson], and how shall we do unto him?”

(Judges 13:12).

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

January 23

Momentous Decisions

Throughout time, couples have generally expected to be parents.

Children continued the family line, provided companionship, helped

with work, and cared for aging parents. Like Rachel, women often

connected their sense of value to bearing children

(Gen. 30:1).

Consider

these comments from married couples about to have a

baby. Which ones represent good reasons for bearing a child?

Which do not, and why not?

● “We thought a child would help cement our marriage.”

● “I’ve always wanted a baby since the time I played with dolls.”

● “We love each other and want to share that love with

a child.”

● “We weren’t trying to get pregnant; it was an accident, really.”

Becoming parents is an important choice. The decisions about

whether to bear or adopt children and how many to have should be

thoughtful ones. What purpose would a child serve? Will God be hon-

ored if a new life is brought into the world? Do we have the emotional

and physical resources and the long-term commitment to provide for

all the needs of a child

(1 Tim. 5:8)? Rearing children can be difficult

in troubled times

(Mark 13:17).

On the other hand, children have a way of helping families to be

more affectionate, patient, and selfless. Few joys compare with join-

ing the Creator in the formation of a new person and experiencing the

wonder of life alongside a growing child.

What

impact did infertility have on some Bible families? What do you

think might have been done differently to ease these situations?

Gen. 16:1, 2; 30:1-9; 1 Sam. 1:1-20.

____________________________________________________________________

Many couples struggle to understand why God withholds children

from them. Much soul-searching, quarreling, and domestic turmoil

often result. We should not judge such couples then or now too hastily.

Sensitivity toward couples without children spares them from unfeel-

ing remarks. They should receive accurate information and counsel

when they ask for it and be given privacy to decide the best course to

follow.

TUESDAY

January 24

Lessons From the Heavenly Parent

The Bible describes God as a Parent. Jesus called God “Father” and

introduced Him in winsome ways (Matt. 5:16; 6:9, 14, 15, 18). God

wants to be Father to each of us personally. This picture of God com-

plements the view of those who grew up in loving homes, while those

who had difficulty relating to a parent may have trouble trusting Him.

All who come to God, however, are treated with the care that only this

Parent, the most attached and nurturing of all fathers, can give. Before

we parent our children, we must be parented by Him.

What

parental responsibilities are seen in God’s relationship with His

people? What guidance for parenting today does this provide?

God’s love especially helps parents who have invested heavily in

their children only to have them reject values that are dear. “ ‘When

Israel was a child, I loved him. . . . But the more I called Israel, the

further they went from me’ ” (Hos. 11:1, 2, NIV). God experienced all

the emotions parents know when teenagers ignore counsel, behave in

disappointing ways, or turn their backs on home. He values human

freedom. He can guide parents to know how or whether to pursue a

wayward one or to acknowledge an adult child’s decision and wait, as

did the father of the prodigal son

(Luke 15:11-32).

How is God’s attitude toward those who reject Him helpful to

parents in dealing with wayward children? In what way does

knowing that He knows the pain of rejection bring comfort and

encouragement to troubled parents?

____________________________________________________________________

God as Parent Responsibility Guidance for Our Parenting

Deut. 1:31, John 6:33-

35, Phil. 4:19

Ps. 32:8, Isa. 54:13,

Hos. 11:3

Deut. 8:5; Prov. 3:11,

12; Heb. 12:5-7

WEDNESDAY

January 25

Doing What Is Good for Children

“He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the

Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to

walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8, RSV).

How

should parents use these principles in regard to how they raise

their children?

____________________________________________________________________

Ellen White elevated the importance of kindness and firmness in

dealing with children: “The combined influence of authority and love

will make it possible to hold firmly and kindly the reins of family

government.”—The Adventist Home, p. 308. Current parenting

research shows the significance of control and support to the devel-

opment of emotionally healthy, well-functioning children. Support

refers to demonstrations of warmth, affection, and sense of belonging

that convey the respect of parents for children. Control has to do with

parents providing structure, regulation, boundaries, and restraints in

their children’s lives that help children respect themselves and others.

“Kindness” and “support,” “firmness” and “control” express qualities

within the biblical concepts of Micah 6:8.

Evaluate

the parenting practices in these families: Jacob (Gen.

37:3, 4), Manoah and his wife (Judg. 14:1-3), Eli (1 Sam. 2:22-25,

3:13). How could parenting with both firmness and kindness have

made a difference? What practical changes would be necessary in

order to incorporate both?

____________________________________________________________________

Optimal parenting involves an abundance of warmth, affection, and

mation, as well as appropriate limits, with realistic expectations

appropriate to the child’s age. Rules are few, consequences are clear,

and there is follow-through on consequences. In homes where firm-

ness and kindness are found to

gether

, the likelihood that children will

adopt their parents’ values is increased. They also will develop

morally in keeping with their ages and be socially responsible and

caring in relationships with others.

THURSDAY

January 26

Shepherding a Child’s Heart

Research confirms what many parents and teachers know

already—children do have an active spiritual life. They believe God is

important in their lives. Jesus honored children and taught us about

their spiritual development.

How

did Jesus relate to children? What did He say regarding their

faith? Matt. 18:2-5; Mark 9:36, 37, 41.

____________________________________________________________________

Jesus affirmed the faith of children. This faith can be cultivated by

the emotional security caring parents provide. If it is safe to ask any

question, to talk about any topic at home, then children will learn to

be comfortable talking anything over with God. When home is a car-

ing place where one’s needs are met, when parents are both physically

and emotionally available to children, the young readily learn that

God can be counted on to care for them. When children are made

aware of how precious they are to their caregivers, it will help them

to understand that God values them too.

What

was Christ’s warning to those who would offend children or

cause them to sin? Matt. 18:5, 6; Mark 9:42.

____________________________________________________________________

Attitudes or actions toward a child that emotionally or physically

harm him or her make it hard for the young person to believe in or

trust in God. When sexual abuse of a child takes place, especially by

a parent, betrayal goes to the deepest places of the soul. What follows

is an often-lifelong struggle to relate to the perfect love of God or to

the affection of a mate. An experience with the grace of God; life in

a healing, accepting environment; and the guidance of trained coun-

selors have enabled many such individuals to cope with these scars.

How does your relationship with the heavenly Shepherd influ-

ence the shepher

ding of y

our

floc

What chang

es would you

like to make in your approach to your child or to the children

with whom you live or work?

FRIDAY

January 27

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Misconception of the Mother’s

Work,”

The Adventist Home, pp. 244–247; “Discipline and Its

Administration,” Child Guidance, pp. 221–268.

Younger members of the Lord’s family. “Your children are the

younger members of the Lord’s family—brothers and sisters entrusted

to your care by your heavenly Father for you to train and educate for

heaven.”—Ellen G. White, Child Guidance, p. 251.

One such correction enough for a lifetime. “Whipping may be nec-

essary when other resorts fail, yet she [the parent] should not use the

rod if it is possible to avoid doing so. But if milder measures prove

insufficient, punishment that will bring the child to its senses should

in love be administered. Frequently one such correction will be

enough for a lifetime, to show the child that he does not hold the lines

of control.”—Page 250.

Discussion Questions:

● In the previous passage “Whipping may be necessary . . . ” list

the principles found there regarding child discipline. What would

you like to do differently in your relationship with your child?

● In your church are there children of single parents or children

from homes in which there has been some recent turmoil? If so

(and where appropriate), why not plan some activities in which

your class can help these children?

Summary:

Children are younger members of the Lord’s family. As

responsible stewards, Christian couples seek God’s guidance in the

decision regarding whether to be parents and in the number of children

they can appropriately care for. God supplies an abundance of instruc-

tion in His Word for His parent-stewards. His own providing, teach-

ing, and correcting of His people offer important instruction.

tor

INSIDE

Breaking Ties With Satan

by VOLODICHIEV ALEXANDER

I returned from Russian military service, feeling spiritually empty. I

had grown up in a Communist family and did not know God. Some Satan

worshipers invited me to join them, and I discovered religion. I attended

their worship services until a devil-possessed girl began speaking to me in

a man’s voice. I was terrified.

My grandmother had told me, “If you are afraid, recite the “Our Father,”

the Lord’s Prayer. I recited the prayer loudly, trying to drown out the girl.

She pointed a finger at me and laughed furiously, but I chanted the prayer

over and over.

I felt powerless in the face of this demon, as if I were trying to stop a

military tank with a stick. I realized that I needed a stronger power, and

the only power stronger than Satan was—God, the very Person I was rail-

ing against.

As I repeated the Lord’s Prayer aloud, in my heart I was pleading, God,

if You exist, protect me from this evil. As soon as I prayed, the girl fell

down, silent. Suddenly everyone in the room became quiet. I ran past the

girl and never returned.

Leaving the satanic church left an emptiness in my heart, a spiritual

longing I did not know how to fill. But how could I get to know God? I

began my search in my grandmother's church. The services were beauti-

ful, but they seemed formal and cold. I did not find God there.

Disappointed, I stopped trying and started drinking and smoking mari-

juana to drown my confusion.

One day some friends invited me to go with them to some evangelistic

meetings to heckle the speaker. I went along. After several meetings, in

spite of our bad manners, someone invited us to visit a house church. We

went, and to our surprise, we liked it. Soon several of my heckling friends

and I accepted Jesus as our Savior.

I remembered the books on the occult that I kept in my parents’ home.

I returned one night to retrieve the books and burn them. But the family

awoke and began shouting at me for removing the books. I realized what

a strong hold Satan had on my family, as well as on me. I wavered, but with

prayer I was able to destroy the books and know God’s complete forgive-

ness. A week later I was baptized.

God took a Satan worshiper and made him a disciple of Jesus. He has

blessed my life beyond all I could have imagined and made it beautiful. I

praise His name. Thank you for your weekly mission offerings, which

helped make possible my introduction to Jesus.

VOLODICHIEV ALEXANDER is a pastor in Briansk, Russia.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*January 28–February 3

Disciples Making Disciples

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Exod. 29:38-42; Prov.

1:8; 22:6; Matt. 28:18, 19; John 8:31; 13:35; Rom. 8:28; Eph. 6:1-

Memory Text:

“ ‘All your children shall be taught by the Lord,

and great shall be the peace of your children’ ” (Isaiah 54:13,

NKJV).

The Week at a Glance:

Parents are called to lead their

children to embrace godly values and to introduce them to the

Lord.

ike an Olympic runner passing a torch, Moses sought to put

faith in the hands of those who followed him. One thing was

clear to Moses: Home is irreplaceable as a setting in which par-

ents and children grasp faith in God, live it, and hold on to it. The

greatness of the nation depends upon faithfulness to God’s Word at

home. Throughout its pages the Bible is concerned with enabling chil-

dren to receive the heritage of faith of their parents and grandparents.

Themes of Deuteronomy echo in Proverbs and Ephesians. These all

offer guidance and hope to parent disciples who would make disciples

of their children.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 4.

SUNDAY

January 29

Parent Disciples

Jesus

commissioned His followers to go everywhere and make disci-

ples. Earlier, He had defined what He meant by disciple. Study the

definitions Jesus gave. In what way does His teaching about mak-

ing disciples and being disciples help define the mission of the

Christian home? Matt. 28:18, 19; John 8:31; 13:35; compare Deut.

6:6-9.

____________________________________________________________________

A disciple is one who follows his master’s teaching (John 8:31).

This kind of disciple is formed by sharing the truths of Christ so

another person absorbs them. Elsewhere, Jesus defined disciples as

individuals who know how to love others (John 13:35). Making disci-

ples by this definition means helping people become the kind of indi-

viduals who love God and love people.

Parents as disciple makers. The family is a natural place to carry out

Jesus’ marching orders. Parents have a mission to attract children to

Jesus and to invite them to be His disciples. Both definitions for making

and being disciples apply to the Christian home. Family is the primary

place in which children absorb truths and values. It is also in their

families that children get their first messages about love and loving. A

loving relationship with parents who dearly love Jesus and bring that

love into their relationships with others increases the likelihood that a

child will grow up loving Jesus and others too. Such children are apt

to be more successful with their own children and likely will be able

to form friendships that most naturally lead to fruitful witnessing.

What

is the prerequisite for parents before attempting to guide chil-

dren spiritually?

Deut. 6:5, 6; compare Deut. 6:18.

____________________________________________________________________

Why is it more important to rear children to know a perfect

Savior than to rear perfect children? Think about your personal

experience with the good news of the gospel. What is your testi-

mony of faith you would like your children to know about?

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

January 30

Spiritual Education at Home

How

does Moses convey the all-important need for parents to focus

their attention on sharing God’s truth with their children?

Deut.

6:7. What special challenges face latter-day parents who stand

near the border of the heavenly Promised Land?

“Teach diligently” or “impress” (NIV) is the same as “whet” (Deut.

32:41) or “sharpen” (NIV). As mothers and fathers share their spir-

itual experience with their sons and daughters, they “sharpen” these

young “arrows” and help prepare them for the spiritual challenges

they will face. The pairs of expressions “sit”—“walk” and “lie

down”—“get up” convey that the sharing is incessant and persistent

and involved with all life’s activities. Faith sharing takes time.

What

does Solomon say is the intent of his parental instruction? Prov.

2:1-9, 3:5-8.

The passing of faith to the next generation is not an exact science.

Even godly, attentive parents understand that they can perform only

half the task. As youth mature they make choices and, ultimately, will

assemble their own set of values. Christian parents do want their chil-

dren to have freedom of choice but sometimes fear that their children

might not make responsible choices. Proverbs pleads with youth to

learn from their elders, to lay aside their youthful invincibility and

self-sufficiency—their “own understanding”—and give God the con-

trol of their lives. Yet, Proverbs also upholds human freedom of choice

and repeatedly endeavors to engage the minds and hearts of young

people so they will choose God’s way.

Contemporary research has demonstrated an unfavorable com-

parison between the amount of focused attention given by par-

ents to their children (sometimes only seconds per day) and the

amount of time children spend with television, video games, and

computers. What can parents do to make a difference? Is

qual-

ity time the answer? How do parents compete with high-tech

toys and television or anything else that steals time that could be

better spent?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

January 31

Family Worship

What

experience of morning and evening worship did God’s people

have in Old Testament times? Exod. 29:38-42. What spiritual les-

sons can we, today, draw from this ancient practice of the

Israelites?

The offering of a yearling lamb morning and evening at the temple

took place at regular times each day when the Israelites worshiped the

Lord. At these times they remembered their covenant history and

expressed anew their faith in God as their Savior. Every sacrifice pre-

figured the death of Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the

world (Rev. 13:8). “In this custom Christians have an example for

morning and evening prayer. While God condemns a mere round of

ceremonies, without the spirit of worship, He looks with great pleas-

ure upon those who love Him, bowing morning and evening to seek

pardon for sins committed and to present their requests for needed

blessings.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 354.

Prayer is so important for family life. The members of such fami-

lies, drawn close by a common faith, gain strength from one another

in fighting the battles of life. They experience a peace that is unknown

in families that have not made Christ the center of their lives. Surveys

of youth indicate that regular worship at home with their family does

enhance the quality of their spiritual development and increase the

likelihood they will accept their parents’ values and continue their

family’s heritage of faith.

The best time of the day. Ellen White offers the hope that family

worship can be the best time of the day when it is regular, “short and

spirited,” “intensely interesting,” and “full of life.”—

Child Guidance,

pp. 521, 522. Family worship should be varied from time to time. It

can include a few Bible verses and brief comments, time for the young

to ask questions, singing, prayer, and parental sharing of their stories

of faith. Children should have a part in the selection and presentation

of Scripture, stories, songs, and other activities.

When were some of your most memorable experiences with

family worship? What can parents do to create more of these

memorable experiences? How do children’s questions provide

oppor

tunities f

or faith sharing?

WEDNESDAY

February 1

Winsome Witness to Your Child

Read

Proverbs 22:6. What principle is expressed here?

____________________________________________________________________

The words

train up are closely related to a word for “initiate,” which

describes the way a midwife helped a newborn, reluctant to take the

mother’s breast. By rubbing the baby’s gums with a tasty substance

like date juice, she started the sucking response. “The way” likely

means “the way he ought to go”; as in “the way of wisdom” and “right

paths” (Prov. 4:11, 2:20), though it has become popular in Christian

child-rearing literature to read “his way” or “the way he should go” as

“according to his individual aptitude.” Taken together, the verse con-

veys the thought that, like the midwife luring the infant into taking the

mother’s milk, parenting children and adolescents is about making

godly values winsome and attractive, creating a thirst for spiritual

things youth will find irresistible.

Some parents whose children have rejected their beliefs feel anx-

ious or guilty when they read Proverbs 22:6. They assume their son’s

or daughter’s loss of spiritual interest was caused by their poor par-

enting. Proverbs, however, presents

probabilities rather than promises.

This proverb is not intended to imply that the future choices of chil-

dren

always will be in line with their upbringing, whether that

upbringing was wholesome or unwholesome. Rather than taxing par-

ents with the impossible weight of moral responsibility for their

child’s future (which is the responsibility of the adult child), the

proverb conveys the thought that wholesome attitudes toward spiritual

things, developed in childhood, tend to linger into maturity.

What kind of practical advice and encouragement would you

give to some parents whose older children have wandered from

the Lord? How might the following texts, and the principles

behind them, be of help?

Luke 15:11-22, Rom. 8:28, 2 Pet. 3:9,

Rev. 16:7.

THURSDAY

February 2

A Service of Love

What

is the counsel in Ephesians to children? What are the unique

features of the parenting instruction that follows? How are these

two ideals related to each other?

Eph. 6:1-4.

The validity of the commandment to “ ‘honor your father and

mother’ ”

(NIV) continues for Christians. The plural “parents” (Eph.

6:1) indicates that the child honors both. A mutual partnership in par-

enting is in view here; mothers are not to bear the responsibility

alone. The apostle adds a qualifier to a child’s obedience—the phrase

“in the Lord.” Children are not expected to obey those commands or

expectations of their parents that are contrary to the Christian faith

(compare Acts 5:29).

The overall instruction to parents surely applies to both fathers and

mothers, but “fathers” is specifically used. This may be because the

management and discipline of the household typically rested with

them or because, as was the case with fathers then and now, their par-

enting style and use of power could exasperate and embitter their off-

spring.

“Exasperate”

(Eph. 6:4, NIV) means “to rouse to wrath, to provoke,

exasperate, anger.” Parents must be sensitive to the individual emo-

tional needs of their adolescent children and accompany their regula-

tions by relationship building. “Nurture and admonition,” or “training

and instruction”

(NIV), express the intention that children are to be

reared in a manner that includes discipline and godly values.

Here again is a qualifying phrase—“of the Lord.” The parenting

described in these verses is Christian in nature, and its most signifi-

cant task is helping children to have a relationship with God and an

appreciation of eternal things. The teaching of Jesus shapes Christian

parenting. Christian parenting, as described in these verses, is a serv-

ice of love that Christian mothers and fathers render to their children.

What is your relationship to your parents? What changes might

you need to make in order to be sure that you are, indeed, hon-

oring them?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

February 3

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Responsibility for Eternal Interests,”

“Every Home a Church,” “Leading Little Children to Christ,”

“Preparing for Church Membership,” Child Guidance, pp. 471–502;

“Blessing the Children,” The Desire of Ages, pp. 511–517.

A sacred trust from father to son. “In his childhood, Joseph had

been taught the love and fear of God. Often in his father’s tent, under

the Syrian stars, he had been told the story of the night vision at

Bethel, of the ladder from heaven to earth, and the descending and

ascending angels, and of Him who from the throne above revealed

Himself to Jacob. He had been told the story of the conflict beside the

Jabbok, when, renouncing cherished sins, Jacob stood conqueror, and

received the title of a prince with God. . . .

“By communion with God through nature and the study of the great

truths handed down as a sacred trust from father to son, he had gained

strength of mind and firmness of principle.”—Ellen G. White,

Education, p. 52.

Discussion Questions:

● If some people in class are willing, have them talk about their

relationship with their parents and/or children and what things

they have learned from those experiences that could help others

in the class better relate to either their parents or children.

● What special stresses in values transmission to children are

faced by parents in troubled marriages, by single parents, or by

those who are married to non-Christians or members of other

faiths? How might your class be of practical help in such situa-

tions?

Summary:

The passing of faith to the next generation is a concern

expressed throughout Scripture. When vibrant faith in God and His

Word is found first in parents, it manifests itself in every aspect of

their life with their children.

tor

INSIDE

Louder Than Words

by GAIL SCHATZSCHNEDIER

“We want Arshad! We want ADRA!” the Muslim villagers demanded to

the government official. But who was Arshad, and what was ADRA? The

Pakistani official did not know. He had come to the village to inquire why

the villagers had refused to allow their children to be vaccinated against a

serious outbreak of polio.

For 10 years the villagers had allowed Arshad Inayat and his team of

ADRA workers to enter their villages in southern Pakistan. They knew

Arshad, and they trusted him to vaccinate the children. But when funding

ran out, Arshad and the ADRA workers had to stop their work.Then a seri-

ous outbreak of polio erupted, and the children needed vaccinations. In

desperation the government official told his assistants, “Go find Arshad,

and find ADRA!”

The government health officials called Karachi Adventist Hospital and

found Arshad. They told him the problem and pleaded with him to return

to the village and vaccinate the children.

When Arshad returned to the villages, the Muslim women asked him,

“Where have you been? We have prayed to Allah for you to return.”

Arshad vaccinated the children, and with funds from other countries, he

installed hand pumps for the wells that his team constructed in the rural

villages that had no water.

Sometime later Arshad and a government official entered the courtyard

of a mullah, a Muslim holy man. Hundreds of Muslims had come to see

this man and ask for his blessings. Many had brought offerings of cattle

and sheep. When the government official introduced Arshad, the mullah

replied, “Yes, I know you.” Then the mullah turned to the waiting people

and said, “Mr. Arshad is a Christian man. He has helped our poor, vacci-

nated their children against diseases. He has taught them how to be healthy

and has drilled wells in the villages that had no water.” Then the mullah

asked the crowd, “What have you done for the poor?” The mullah contin-

ued to chide the waiting crowd for neglecting the poor.

In Pakistan, Christians are not allowed to speak to Muslims about their

belief in Christ. But this mullah had spoken in Arshad's stead. As an aston-

ished Arshad listened, this mullah had told the crowd more than Arshad

ever dared say on behalf of Christ.

Arshad’s quiet, faithful deeds had not gone unnoticed. In fact, they had

spoken louder than words.

When GAIL SCHA

TZSCHNEDIER

ote this story

, she w

as dir

ector of community health

services for Karachi Adventist Hospital in Pakistan.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*February 4-10

Wise Words for Families

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Prov. 5:3-14; 13:22;

14:26; 17:22; 23:13; 31:10-31; Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 7:3, 4.

Memory Text:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean

not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge

Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6, NKJV).

The Week at a Glance:

The book of Proverbs presents

powerful, practical advice for marriage and family to those who

will listen.

he book of Proverbs contains a combination of instructions,

poems, questions, and wise sayings filled with practical wis-

dom. Family relationships are directly addressed, and other

words of wisdom can be applied to the home. Proverbs is, in fact, cast

as a family document in which keys to a godly life are handed down

from parent to child. Just as parents might write a letter of advice to a

son or daughter going off to college, setting up his or her separate

dwelling, or taking a job away from home, so Proverbs is addressed

from father to son, “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and

do not forsake the law of your mother”

(Prov. 1:8, NKJV).

Deuteronomy directs parents to share their convictions with the next

generation. This is what Proverbs does. In the father’s summons, we

hear the voice of the heavenly Father calling us to learn.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 11.

SUNDAY

February 5

Love the Right Woman

List

the problems and consequences involved with a sexual liaison

before marriage or an extramarital affair as depicted in Proverbs

5:3-14.

____________________________________________________________________

The godly person reserves (if not married) and preserves (if mar-

ried) his or her deepest affections and sexual intimacy for marriage.

Men specifically are addressed in Proverbs, but the same idea as it

relates to women is expressed in the Song of Solomon (compare Song

of Sol. 4:12-15). The powerful attraction of illicit love must be

weighed against the horrific consequences of this sin. Casual sexual

liaisons lack commitment and, therefore, fall far short of true inti-

macy. Material, physical, and emotional resources are squandered.

Most important, one must answer to God for the choices made in life.

Sexual intimacy, one of God’s greatest gifts to humans, is a privi-

lege of marriage only (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 7:3, 4; Heb. 13:4). In

Proverbs the imagery of nourishing, plentiful water is used as a deli-

cate symbol of the pleasure and satisfaction a married couple ought to

obtain in their love together. This is contrasted with the waste that

results when there is unfaithfulness. The use of “the wife of your

youth”

(Prov. 5:18, NKJV) indicates that, even when the two grow

older, their commitment is to continue. A husband is still ravished

(“intoxicated”

[vs. 19, margin, NKJV]) by his wife’s charms.

In the human fallen condition, sexual instincts can lure individuals

away from the divine design for sexuality. However, God has also

given humanity the power to reason and to choose. These temptations,

if not continually suppressed, can become overwhelming. A firm com-

mitment to the divine design for sexuality in marriage can prevent the

development of illicit sexual relationships. The choice of lifelong

faithfulness to God’s design for sexuality in marriage not only is pru-

dent but carries its own bountiful rewards.

If you knew someone struggling with sexual temptations that

could destroy a marriage, what counsel would you give that

per

son?

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

February 6

A Call to Fathers

Note

the character qualities of fathers described in Proverbs that can

have long-term consequences for children:

Prov. 13:22; 27:23, 24

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 14:26

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 15:1, 18; 16:32

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 15:27

____________________________________________________________________

Prov. 29:17

____________________________________________________________________

The characters of fathers have a direct impact on their children and

the legacy they pass on to them. Children look to their fathers for sup-

port, devoted affection, guidance, and modeling. Proverbs lauds those

fathers who are reliable providers and wise managers of family

resources. Many are the ways in which “a greedy man brings trouble

to his family” (Prov. 15:27, NIV); fathers must be mindful to give pri-

ority to family over work. Godly fathers seek to be patient and in com-

mand of their emotions. They respect their children’s dependence

upon them. They discipline their children but are careful not to abuse

their position of authority. Most important, dedicated fathers want to

follow God, to be controlled by His love and by the teaching of His

Word, that they might guide the feet of their children in the right way.

In the end, the most important thing a father can do for his children

is to love their mother. His faithfulness and continuing affection for

her, or the lack of these, have a telling effect upon children’s well-

being even into adulthood.

In Proverbs, loyalty to God, commitment to marriage and family,

and integrity in one’s personal and community life are key themes.

Success in everything depends upon the condition of the individual

heart. The attractions of sin—whether sex, sloth, wealth, or power—

abound, but the wise husband and father looks to God for help to make

right choices continually.

How are the moral principles expressed here important for any-

one

hether or not a father? Ho

w have your actions, either for

good or bad, impacted others, especially children? In what ways

might you need to be more careful?

TUESDAY

February 7

Correction With Love

What

does Proverbs teach about the importance of discipline and

correction of a child? Prov. 10:17; 23:13, 14; 29:1; 29:15.

Parents sometimes discipline their children to impress upon them

what is socially unacceptable behavior, to punish for disobedience, or

even to express their displeasure when embarrassed. But what is God’s

intention regarding discipline for these young members of His family?

Proverbs sets discipline in the context of hope for the future

(Prov.

19:18). Godly parents know that children have a sinful nature. Only

one power can help them with this, and this power is Christ (see Ellen

G. White, Education, p. 29). The mission of Christian parenting,

including discipline, is to lead children to God.

Supporting a tender plant. Through Christ discipline is seen not as

punishment, nor an expression of authority, but as redemptive correc-

tion. God’s plan is that loving parents, knowing the strength of sin,

guide their children’s footsteps to Christ. Caring parents correct

kindly and firmly, restraining and guiding children through the early

years, much as a horticulturalist provides support to a newly planted

tree, until self-control emerges and a youth comes to trust in God and

cooperates with the divine plan for salvation, growth, and maturity.

What

message for parents is found in Proverbs 13:24; 23:13, 14?

All told, just a few verses mention the “rod” (Heb. shebet) in the

context of disciplining children. Popular within Christian parenting

literature is the notion that parental use of the rod should be like that

of the heavenly Shepherd who uses it to guide His flock

(Ps. 23:4).

Elsewhere, Scripture points to patient teaching, consistent modeling,

good communication, and close relationships for influencing change

in children

(Deut. 11:18, 19). The child’s feeling of being loved by his

or her parents is vital if discipline is to have its desired effect of being

corrective and redemptive (Prov. 13:24).

When discipline has missed its intended purpose by being too

harsh or misunderstood, how can parents set matters right with

their childr

en?

____________________________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

February 8

Is Life Better on a Rooftop?

what way does the book of Proverbs sprinkle humor on some of the

irritations in domestic living? Prov. 21:9, 19; 27:15, 16. What

effect does this humor have?

A number of the proverbs consider the ways we treat each other in

close relationships. They make their point with a light touch and a

flash of wit, like the ones about the insensitive friend who “sings

songs to a heavy heart” (Prov. 25:20, NKJV) and the early rising fam-

ily member who “blesses” sleepers “with a loud voice” (Prov. 27:14,

NKJV).

Wives reading these verses about contentious women may

want to add some proverbs about men! They may retort that such say-

ings perpetuate the very problem of these proverbs by targeting only

women when husbands, who share responsibility for the home atmos-

phere, are equally capable of contentious behavior. (Imagine what it

must have been like living in the home of Caiaphas or Annas!)

A merry heart helps. Having a sense of humor in family living is a

good thing. Humor lubricates the machinery of living, helping to

reduce stresses and strains. “A merry heart does good, like medicine,

but a broken spirit dries the bones”

(Prov. 17:22, NKJV). Proverbs

takes some of its own medicine throughout the book and gives us per-

mission to chuckle at a few of the behaviors that annoy and irritate.

Perhaps when we have smiled (or smarted a bit if the joke is on us),

we are in a better place to talk about habits or behaviors that irritate or

annoy us. On the other hand, humor should not be used to minimize

or bypass issues that need serious attention.

A low-grade fever may be symptomatic of a chronic infection.

Quarreling, nagging, and complaining may signal that there is sup-

pressed anger in one or more family members, perhaps related to dif-

ficulties with mutuality or communication in the relationship. The

complaining partner tries to offset his or her partner’s perceived

power, control, and unwillingness to communicate. If the infection is

cleared up, the symptoms will go away. In families, rather than avoid-

ing the problem or one another, members build on their love for the

Lord and their commitment to one another to communicate their

needs and feelings, get to the root of their anger, and clear it up.

Why is laughter so important for the home? How can it be used

for good, or how can it be perverted and used for evil? Bring

your answer to class.

____________________________________________________________________

THURSDAY

February 9

A Truly Wealthy Wife

The

book of Proverbs closes with praise for a wife of noble character.

Identify the characteristics and qualities that are lauded.

Prov.

31:10-31.

____________________________________________________________________

The woman described is special, and so is the poetry. Each of the

verses, commencing with Proverbs 31:10, begins with one of the 22

letters of the Hebrew alphabet. One senses from this tribute to a wor-

thy wife that even the whole national alphabet barely provides a suf-

ficient framework to extol her properly!

Proverbs’s emphasis on marrying a good partner is reflected in a

dictum of the rabbis: “A man’s home is his wife.” “A wife of noble

character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay

in his bones” (Prov. 12:4, NIV). Here, at the end of the Proverbs,

rolled idealistically into a portrait of one, are many varied skills:

clothing manufacture, buying real estate, agriculture, home and

financial management. Meanwhile, she cares well for her family.

They love her and praise her.

These extensive talents are not to be expected in every woman, nor

are they a blueprint whereby husbands should measure their wives.

Rather, through describing these capabilities and qualities, Proverbs

conveys what is most important and universally relevant for women,

as well as for men: the traits of trustworthiness, compassion, reliabil-

ity, faithfulness, kindness, and industry. The secret of such a life,

according to Proverbs 31:30, is that she “fears the Lord”

(NKJV).

In Proverbs 31:10 the word for “virtuous,” or “of noble character”

(NIV), means “strength,” “might,” or “wealth.” It is translated as

“riches” in Psalm 62:10 and describes Joshua’s “men of valour”

(Josh. 1:14). Boaz commends Ruth with the word virtuous (Ruth

3:11). In Proverbs 31:10 there is a play on the concept of “wealth.”

True wealth lies in character, integrity, and the fear of the Lord. This

vastly exceeds the worth to be found in precious stones.

Who are some of the women of valor and virtue who have influ-

enced y

our life? Ho

w w

ould you expand the list of character

qualities, virtues, and capacities of godly women?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

February 10

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Marital Duties and Privileges,”

The Adventist Home, pp. 121–128; “Manual Training,” Education,

pp. 214–222; “Security Only in Right Thinking,” The Faith I Live By,

p. 222.

Keeping the heart in heaven. “Christians should be careful that they

keep the heart with all diligence. They should cultivate a love for med-

itation, and cherish a spirit of devotion. Many seem to begrudge

moments spent in meditation, and the searching of the Scriptures, and

prayer, as though the time thus occupied was lost. I wish you could all

view these things in the light God would have you; for you would then

make the kingdom of heaven of the first importance. To keep your

heart in heaven will give vigor to all your graces, and put life into all

your duties. To discipline the mind to dwell upon heavenly things, will

put life and earnestness into all our endeavors. . . . We are dwarfs in

spiritual attainments. . . . [Eph. 4:13.].”—Ellen G. White Comments,

The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1157.

Discussion Questions:

● Many Christians find a support group network helpful as

they seek to

guard their hearts against temptation. In what way

might this augment prayer, Bible study, and reliance on the Holy

Spirit?

● As a class, read your answers aloud to Wednesday’s final ques-

tion. Discuss the implications of your various answers.

● In contrast to Proverbs 31, what qualities does contemporary

culture tend to exalt in women? How can we as individuals pro-

tect ourselves from partaking of that same degrading attitude?

Summary:

The book of Proverbs passes on the distilled wisdom of

generations of godly men and women who have valued loyalty to God

and also the freedom of the human will. Appeals are made to the peo-

ple of future generations to reverence God and make wise choices that

will strengthen marriage and family life.

tor

INSIDE

The Balance of Life and

Death in Chad

by JAMES APPEL

The sun beats fiercely from the brilliant blue sky as we make our way

along the well-worn path toward the river. The path disappears into a

flooded rice field. Removing our sandals, we wade into the warm water.

Occasionally we pass locals and greet them with a friendly “lapia.”

When we arrive at the river, the half-naked children quickly leave their

fishing spears to watch the foreigners swim.

The sun sets as we make our way back across the rice paddies, tired but

refreshed. A little recreation helps us focus on the difficult tasks we face

working in the mission hospital in Béré, Chad.

One morning a baby is brought in with a severe infection in her lower

abdomen and legs. Antibiotics fight the infection, and I remove large

patches of dead black skin to save the child’s life. Later that day, Sarah,

one of our mission nurses, reports that the baby is unconscious. I rush to

her and find she is not breathing. Desperately I perform CPR, but it is too

late; the child is dead. Sarah is devastated, thinking that somehow the

child's death is her fault. But I blame myself. If I had checked on her more

often, maybe I could have saved her. We see death all the time, but this

child's death troubles me deeply.

A young woman comes in with abdominal pain. The nurse suggests a

urinary tract infection; I suspect appendicitis. She says she is not pregnant,

but I wonder. A pelvic exam suggests an infection of the uterus or fallop-

ian tubes. I wish I had an ultrasound that could identify the source of

infection. I put her on antibiotics.

That evening the staff wants to go to the river. I do too. But I stay behind

to check on the woman. She is worse. I ask more questions and search the

medical books. A urine test reveals she is pregnant. If it is an ectopic (out

of uterus) pregnancy, only surgery will save her life. But if I am wrong,

she has undergone major surgery for nothing. I pray, then I decide to oper-

ate. I find a swollen mass that is about to rupture.I thank God for reveal-

ing her problem, even without proper equipment.

What if I'd gone to the river instead of staying with this woman? How

does one find balance in a w

orld so overwhelmed with the never-ending

needs of a place like Béré?

our w

eekl

y Sabbath School mission offerings make ministry such as

that at the outpost hospital in Béré, Chad, possible.

JAMES APPEL is a missionary doctor serving in Béré, Chad, centr

Africa.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

Your weekly Mission Offering supports life-changing projects around the

world. For more information and to give your Mission Offering online, visit

www.adventistmission.org

The civil war in Mozambique that ended in 1994 left the country

in ruins. The educational system is still recovering, and parents

struggle to find a school for their children.

Adventists in Mozambique are working to improve their schools,

but they don’t have enough trained teachers.

The church is expanding its seminary in Mozambique to a

four-year, degree-granting college that will offer education

courses, as well as business and religion. But to accomplish this,

the school needs classrooms and dormitories for students.

Part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter

will help the church in Mozambique to provide teachers for the

future. And that is vital for the future of the Seventh-day

Adventist church in Mozambique.

L ESSON

*February 11-17

The Royal Love Song

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Song of Solomon.

Memory Text:

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal

on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding

as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame” (Song

of Solomon 8:6, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

With an openness some might

find shocking, the Song of Solomon explores the beauty of sexual

love within marriage.

he Song of Solomon portrays, in sensitive terms, the attraction,

the passion, and the exquisite delights of sexuality. Certainly in

these days when the whole trend of society is to dishonor mar-

riage and devalue love, we can be grateful for the instruction, insights,

and inspiration found in this part of the Bible.

The Song of Solomon is an invitation to enter the private world of

a wedded couple. They are not embarrassed to speak about their sex-

uality, though the poem uses delicate metaphors and symbols to

express the delights of their love. The openness of the Song of

Solomon is in keeping with the view of Scripture that sexuality is an

integral part of life. Further, because the redemption of Christ

includes the whole person, His followers can trust in the guiding of the

Holy Spirit as they seek to become more comfortable with this sensi-

tive yet crucial topic, so interwoven with life.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 18.

SUNDAY

February 12

Indivisible Life

Based

on the following passages, how would you characterize the

Bible’s view of the human body? Gen. 2:7; Pss. 63:1; 84:2; 1 Cor.

6:19, 20; 1 Thess. 5:23.

____________________________________________________________________

Some religions believe in dualism, a philosophy that views the

human body as a problem for the life of the spirit. In Scripture, how-

ever, the human body, including its sexual characteristics, is integral

to the whole being. Life is “body” and “spirit” (Gen. 2:7). The

psalmist gives the whole of himself in worship to God (Ps. 63:1,

84:2). The total person is to be sanctified, set apart for the holy pur-

pose God intended.

This positive view of the human body, in the context of sexual rela-

tions, is reflected in the Song of Solomon. How do these texts reveal

this attitude? Song of Sol. 1:2, 13; 2:6; 5:10-16; 7:1-9.

____________________________________________________________________

Throughout this sacred text the human body is admired. The phys-

ical aspects of married love are not an embarrassment. A full range of

emotions is presented openly.

Toward greater comfort with the topic of sexuality. Powerful sexual

taboos typically exist in many cultures. Married couples thus often

find it difficult to communicate in healthy ways regarding their inti-

mate life. Similarly, children often are deprived of the opportunity to

learn about sexuality in the setting of a Christian home, where godly

values can be integrated with accurate information. The Bible’s open-

ness with sexuality calls His people to a greater level of comfort with

this topic so this vital aspect of life is treated with the respect and dig-

nity due so great a gift from the Creator.

How can we protect ourselves against cultural and moral forces

that either mak

e se

xuality into nothing b

ut degrading animal

passion or turn it into something shameful that must never be

talked about? How does the Bible show us that both extremes

are wrong?

MONDAY

February 13

The Loves of the Love Song

Describe

various aspects of love presented in the Song of Solomon.

Song of Sol. 1:2, 13; 2:10-13, 16; 3:11; 4:1-7; 5:16; 6:6; 7:1-9; 8:6, 7.

____________________________________________________________________

Friendship love. The Song of Solomon shows how friends spend

time together, communicate openly, and care about each other. In the

Song of Solomon, two good friends become married partners. The

wife declares, “This is my friend” (Song of Sol. 5:16). The word friend

expresses companionship and friendship without the overtones of sex-

ual partnership. Happy is the husband or wife whose spouse is a dear

friend.

Throughout the poem intimate compliments and loving gestures

convey the strong attraction and the physical and emotional delight

that the male and female find in each other. The natural intimacies of

romantic love are a gift of the Creator, to help partners bond closely

to each other in marriage. As partners are open to the work of divine

love in their hearts, their human love is “refined and purified, elevated

and ennobled.”—Ellen G. White,

The Adventist Home, p. 99.

These verses also convey the loftiest of thoughts about love. True

love, though, is not natural to the human heart; it is a gift of the Holy

Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Such love bonds husband and wife in a lasting

union. It is the committed love so desperately needed in the parent-

child relationship to build a sense of trust in the young. It is the self-

giving love that binds believers together in the body of Christ. The

Song of Solomon calls us to make this love an active force in our rela-

tionships.

How

does this kind of intimacy reflect, in its own way, the kind of inti-

macy we can have with God? What are some parallels one can

draw (for example, spending time, giving completely of ourselves,

and so forth)? What other parallels are there?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

February 14

A Loving Knowledge

Many have seen a “return to Eden” theme in the Song of Solomon.

Though the couple described is not the first man and woman, the

poem calls to mind the earliest Garden. God’s plan that they be “one

flesh”

(Gen. 2:24, 25) is portrayed throughout in delicate metaphors

and symbols.

How

does the Song of Solomon present a commitment to mutuality in

the intimate life of the married couple? Song of Sol. 4:7–5:1. How

is Paul’s instruction of 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 similar?

____________________________________________________________________

Solomon invites her, “Come with me”

(Song of Sol. 4:8). His bride

responds. Later she invites him: “Let my beloved come into his gar-

den” (vs. 16). He responds (Song of Sol. 5:1). Scripture here teaches

that there is to be no force or manipulation in this intimate setting. Into

this relationship both partners freely and lovingly enter. “My garden”

is “his garden.”

“Solomon” and “Shulamith” share names that are derivatives of the

Hebrew

shalom, “peace,” or “wholeness.” Their admiration is mutual

(Song of Sol. 4:1-5, 5:10-16). The balance in their relationship is evi-

denced even in the poetic style of paired lines and verses. The

covenant expression “My beloved is mine, and I am his”

(Song of Sol.

2:16) echoes the language of Eden, “This is now bone of my bones,

and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23).

How

does the description of the marital union as “knowing” enrich

our understanding of our relationship with God? Gen. 4:1, 25;

1 Sam. 1:19; Luke 1:34; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:3.

The Bible uses know for the intimate union of husband and wife. In

this loving “knowledge,” the most hidden inner depths of their beings

are offered to the other. Not only two bodies but also two hearts are

joined in “one flesh.” Know also describes the relationship between

individuals and God. For the discerning Christian the unique and ten-

der knowledge of marriage, with its companionship, commitment, and

unbounded delight, provides a profound insight into the most sublime

and hol

y m

yster

y e

ver, the union of Christ and the church.

WEDNESDAY

February 15

Love at the Right Time

Study

the following passages and the comments. Then make obser-

vations of your own. How do these add to the scriptural teaching

that sexual intimacy is to be reserved for marriage?

Compare Gen.

39:7-9, Proverbs 5.

“Wall” or “door”? (Song of Sol. 8:8-10). During her childhood

Shulamith’s brothers wondered whether she would open herself to oth-

ers like a “door” or guard her purity as a “wall.” Both before and

within marriage, she has decided to be a “wall,” keeping herself only

for her husband. Such a decision enabled her to be “as one who found

peace” (vs. 10, NKJV). Peace (Heb. shalom) is a word-play on her

name and his name and means “wholeness” or “completeness.”

A locked garden (Song of Sol. 4:8-12, 16; 5:1). A verdant garden

symbolizes the woman in this poem. On their wedding night her hus-

band affirms her for being “a garden enclosed . . . , a spring shut up,

a fountain sealed” (Song of Sol. 4:12, NKJV). “The image of the

garden behind its walls and with the gate locked suggests the

unapproachableness of the area to all but those who rightfully belong.

. . . Here, a fountain sealed and a garden locked speak of virginity. The

couple, while approaching consummation of their love, still have not

reached that level of intimacy.”—G. Lloyd Carr,

The Song of Solomon

(Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1984), p. 123.

Guarding one’s affections. A poetic device has the bride speaking

words of caution to the “daughters of Jerusalem” in conjunction with

moments of physical intimacy with her husband: “Do not stir up nor

awaken love until it pleases” (Song of Sol. 2:7, 3:5, 8:4, NKJV). The

likely intent is “Do not start the process of loving exchange until the

appropriate occasion is present.” These verses join others that call

upon young and old to guard against premarital and extramarital sex-

ual intimacy.

What

good news is there for individuals who regret their wrong

choices in the expression of their sexuality? 1 John 1:9; compare

Ps. 103:12, Isa. 55:7, John 8:11.

What practical steps can be taken by those who are single and

those who are married to reserve or preserve intimate sexual

expression for marriage?

THURSDAY

February 16

Safeguarding the Creator’s Gift

God had a special purpose in creating humankind as male and

female (Gen. 1:26-28). While each bears His image, the joining of

gender opposites in the “one flesh” of marriage reflects the unity

within the Godhead in a special way. The union of male and female

also provides for procreation of a new life, an original human expres-

sion of the divine image.

What

attitude does Scripture take toward sexual practices not in

keeping with the Creator’s plan? Lev. 20:7-21, Rom. 1:24-27,

1 Cor. 6:9-20.

Scripture disapproves of all that alters or destroys God’s image in

humankind. By placing certain sexual practices off-limits, God

guides His people toward the right purposes of sexuality. When

human experience is confronted by God’s precepts, the soul is con-

victed of sin.

What

guidance is given Christian believers for relating to their sexu-

ality and that of others in a fallen world? Rom. 8:1-14; 1 Cor. 6:15-

20; 2 Cor. 10:5; Gal. 5:24; Col. 3:3-10; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24.

Believers wait for release from the corruption of sin at Christ’s

return. They wait in faith, considering themselves dead to sin through

Christ’s death on the cross and alive in Him through His resurrection.

Through unceasing prayer, watchfulness, and the power of the Spirit,

they treat their sinful nature as crucified and seek to obey Christ in

their thoughts. They acknowledge God’s ownership of their bodies

and sexuality and use them according to His divine plan.

Submitting our sexuality to God. God forgives those who repent of

sin (1 John 1:9). The gospel enables individuals, who formerly

engaged in promiscuity and sinful sexual activity, to be part of the fel-

lowship of believers. Because of the extent to which sin has altered

sexuality in humanity, some may not be able to know full restoration

in this aspect of human experience. Some, for example, might choose

a life of celibacy rather than get involved in any sexual relationships

that are forbidden b

y God’

s Word.

How should we as a church relate to, for instance, homosexuals?

How should their own attitude about their sexual orientation

inf

luence our response?

FRIDAY

February 17

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Love and Sexuality in the Human

Experience,” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, pp. 218–239.

True love. “True love is a high and holy principle, altogether differ-

ent in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and

which suddenly dies when severely tested. It is by faithfulness to duty

in the parental home that the youth are to prepare themselves for

homes of their own. Let them here practice self-denial and manifest

kindness, courtesy, and Christian sympathy. Thus love will be kept

warm in the heart, and he who goes out from such a household to

stand at the head of a family of his own will know how to promote the

happiness of her whom he has chosen as a companion for life.

Marriage, instead of being the end of love, will be only its begin-

ning.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 176.

Discussion Questions:

● Why is it important to present sexuality education within the

context of the Christian message? How can parents and others

involved with youth best fulfill their responsibility to guide youth

in knowing truth in this area?

● Unwed mothers, AIDS, broken homes . . . the list goes on

regarding the impact of sinful sexual relations. How can you as a

class, in a practical way, help those who have suffered because of

these wrong choices?

Summary:

Lessons in close relationships, with applications for

friendship, abound in the Song of Solomon but especially for mar-

riage. The consummation of the royal couple’s love in the poem beck-

ons married couples toward deeper levels of knowing each other and

invites each human heart toward greater intimacy with God.

tor

INSIDE

One Bullet for Porras, Part 1

by ANTONIO SENDING, JR.

Fourteen-year-old Porras was a bright student and a born leader. His

father, Chief Tranning of the Manobo people of Mindanao in the

Philippines, was proud of him. One day Porras would be a warrior, so his

father took him along on headhunting expeditions.

Porro’s village often received threats of tribal war, so they were con-

stantly alert for signs of danger. His father had rifles and taught his son to

use one. But Porras did not share his father’s dream for him. He wanted to

lead his people in a different way; he wanted to study at Mountain View

College, where his teachers studied; and one day, he hoped, he would

return to the mountains of southern Philippines and teach his people to

read and to write and introduce them to Jesus.

One day, a chief from another Manobo village came to visit Porras’s

father. He brought a horse, a gift from a family in the chief’s village. The

chief had come to ask Porras’ father for permission for Porras to marry a

girl from his village. Porras knew that in the past there had been problems

between these two villages. A marriage would resolve those problems and

prevent further bloodshed. Porras wanted nothing to do with this marriage.

But to Porras’ horror, his father agreed to the marriage.

Porras was in serious trouble. To refuse the marriage surely would mean

bloodshed between the two tribes, and Porras’s own life was at risk. But if

Porras accepted the offer of marriage, his dreams for the future would van-

ish with the smoke from the morning fires.

Confused and frightened, he went to talk to his teachers, student mis-

sionaries from Mountain View College. The missionary teachers, how-

ever, did not dare advise Porras what to do. That would be to interfere with

the village’s customs. They could only advise Porras to pray that God

would reveal His will for this young man.

Porras went home and prayed. “Dear Lord, I want to be a teacher! Please

help my father understand that I want to attend the Adventist high school

and then study at Mountain View College. If I marry, that will be impos-

sible.”

Porras’ father and mother argued about what to do. His father wanted

Porras to marry the young woman from the nearby village, but his mother

refused to allow her beloved son to live in another village. “He is still a

boy!” she sobbed to her husband. “I don't want to give him away!”

(continued ne

xt w

eek)

ANT

ONIO

SENDING,

R. w

as a missionary teac

her at the Ulo't Langilan Mission Sc

hool in

Mindanao, southern Philippines when he wrote this.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*February 18-24

Keys to Family Unity

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

Gen. 33:12-14, Ruth 1:16-

18, John 17:21-26, Gal. 3:28, Eph. 2:11-22, 5:21–6:9.

Memor

y Text:

“ ‘That all of them may be one, Father, just as

you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the

world may believe that you have sent me’ ”

(John 17:21, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

The Bible exalts Christ as the

great Center who draws all disconnected relationships together in

His body on the cross.

ife in the household of God should help us grow closer at home,

for in both cases the same principles should be at work—prin-

ciples of love, humility, selflessness, and concern for others.

All this doesn’t come automatically. On the contrary, each of us

must fight constantly against the sinful and selfish tendencies of our

fallen natures.

Though in the body of Jesus Christ on the cross all humanity has

been reconciled to God and to one another

(Eph. 2:13-16, Col. 1:21-

23), on a daily practical level we must appropriate for ourselves the

grace of Christ, which alone can make this unity a living experience

for all who seek it in faith. This must be a daily experience in our lives.

ortunately, through the grace of Christ, it can be. We, though, have to

mak

e the choice to be what the Lord wants us to be.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 25.

SUNDAY

February 19

Christ the Center

What

illustration does Paul use to describe the new unity that exists

between peoples in Christ? How has Christ made “one” out of

“two”?

Eph. 2:11-22; see also Gal. 3:28.

____________________________________________________________________

The Cross of Christ removes the barriers that separate people from

one another. Walls separated worshipers in the Jewish temple, men

from women and Jews from Gentiles. Describing the unity of Jews

and Gentiles in Christ, Paul used language that applies equally to

other divisions between nations, people groups, social strata, and gen-

der. “To create out of the two a single new humanity in himself,

thereby making peace” (Eph. 2:15, NEB) is good news that helps cou-

ples to truly know “one-flesh” unity in marriage. Also, by faith in

Christ, long-divided families can be reconciled.

It’s

one thing to quote Bible texts about oneness in Christ; it’s wholly

another actually to experience it. What practical changes does

Christ bring to our lives that enable us to experience the oneness

and unity we have been promised?

See, for instance, Rom. 6:4-7,

2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 4:24-32.

____________________________________________________________________

“Picture a large circle, from the edge of which are many lines all

running to the center. The nearer these lines approach the center, the

nearer they are to one another. . . .

“The closer we come to Christ, the nearer we shall be to one

another.”—Ellen G. White,

The Adventist Home, p. 179.

“Between father and son, husband and wife . . . stands Christ the

Mediator, whether they are able to recognize him or not. We cannot

establish direct contact outside ourselves except through him, through

his word, and through our following of him.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

The Cost of Discipleship (New York: The MacMillan Company,

1963), p. 86.

w close is y

our famil

y, or church family, to the center of that

circle? What else must come down in order for the relationships

to be as the

y ought to be?

MONDAY

February 20

Becoming One Through His Love

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each

other and for everyone else”

(1 Thess. 3:12, NIV).

Jesus prayed to His Father that His followers would “ ‘be one as

we are one’ ” (John 17:22, NIV). Summarize what Jesus was saying

here, focusing specifically on the role of love needed in order to

achieve this oneness.

____________________________________________________________________

Unity among His followers was on Jesus’ mind in this prayer.

Experiencing

agape love is essential to this unity. Agape is the Bible

word for God’s love used in this prayer and in many other places in the

New Testament. Such love is God’s very nature (1 John 4:8), and it

identifies Jesus’ followers (John 13:35). God’s love is not natural to

the sinful human heart. It comes into one’s life as Jesus dwells with

the believer by His Spirit (Rom. 5:5; 8:9, 11).

“ ‘Love each other as I have loved you’ ” (John 15:12, NIV). The

disciple John, who wrote these words, was once not lovable but proud,

power-hungry, critical, and hot tempered

(Mark 3:17; Luke 9:54, 55;

see also Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 295). Later in life he

remembered how Jesus had kept on loving him in spite of these traits.

Jesus’ love gradually changed John, enabling him to love others in

Christian unity. “We love Him because He first loved us”

(1 John

4:19, NKJV), he wrote, and “if God so loved us, we also ought to love

one another” (vs. 11, NKJV).

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Try placing your name where the

word love appears. How well does it fit? Ask Jesus to bring these

qualities of love into your life by His Spirit. What changes might

the Spirit prompt you to make in order to reach this Christian

ideal?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

February 21

Selfishness: Family Destroyer

“If pride and selfishness were laid aside, five minutes would

remove most difficulties.”—Ellen G. White,

Early Writings, p. 119.

As human beings, our natures have been corrupted by sin. And, per-

haps, the greatest example of that corruption is the curse of selfish-

ness. We seem to be born selfish; we can see this reality in small chil-

dren, whose basic nature is want for themselves. “Me, me, me! . . .”

By the time we reach adulthood, this trait can manifest itself in some

pretty terrible ways, especially in the home.

Of course, Jesus came to change this

(Eph. 4:24). His Word prom-

ises us that we, through Him, don’t have to be dominated by this

destructive character trait. His whole life is a perfect example of what

it means to live without selfishness; to the degree we emulate His life

(1 John 2:6), we will overcome the tendency to live only for ourselves.

Look

up the following texts. What do they tell us about living a life

of selflessness?

Phil. 2:3-5

____________________________________________________________________

1 John 3:16-18

____________________________________________________________________

As Ellen White wrote above, if pride and selfishness were put aside,

so many problems could be solved very quickly, long before they fes-

ter and brew and eventually turn into something nasty. All members of

the family, especially the parents, must be purged

(Prov. 16:6) of this

sin at the foot of the Cross (the greatest example in all the universe of

selflessness), even if that means constantly coming back to the Cross

and kneeling in prayer, faith, tears, and submission.

How much time are you spending at the Cross fighting against

whatever selfishness appears in your life? How does this verse

(Matt. 7:16) help show you whether or not you have been spend-

ing enough time ther

____________________________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

February 22

Submission

What

counsel does Paul have regarding humility and service in rela-

tionships?

Eph. 5:21. How do you think this attitude contributes to

unity in the church? Why is it so important at home? Eph.

5:22–6:9.

____________________________________________________________________

The word submit (Eph. 5:21) means to place oneself humbly before

another person on the basis of voluntary choice. This unique principle

began with Christ (Matt. 20:26-28; John 13:4, 5; Phil. 2:5-8) and

characterizes all those who are filled with His Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

“Reverence for Christ” is what motivates people to submit in this way

(vs. 21, NIV). Mutuality in self-giving was, and still is, a revolution-

ary Christian teaching about social relationships. It brings to life the

spiritual reality that all are one in Christ; there are no exceptions.

A household principle. The proving ground of Christian submission

is in the home. If this principle is effective there, it will make a dra-

matic difference in the church. Paul moves immediately from the

introduction of the principle of submission to discuss its application

in families.

Three pairs of relationships are addressed in Ephesians 5:22–6:9—

the most common yet most unequal relationships in society. The intent

is not to reinforce an existing social order but to show how the faith

culture of Christ operates when there is a radically different voluntary

submission of believers to one another.

Why

do you think Paul consistently speaks first to those who are socially

weaker in the culture—the wives, children, and slaves? Write the

qualifying phrase attached to the submission of each of these.

Eph. 5:22 Eph. 6:1 Eph. 6:5

Those with greater social power—husbands, parents, masters—are

ays addressed second. Each receives a directive quite uncommon

to the culture. These directives must have astonished the believers of

the f

irst centur

. They leveled the ground around the Cross and

opened the way for true oneness to be experienced in relationships.

THURSDAY

February 23

Living the Love We Promise

Ultimately, family cohesion and unity rest on the commitment of

family members, beginning with the commitment of the marital part-

ners, to care for one another. Sadly, Bible history is strewn with exam-

ples of failed promises, broken trust, and lack of commitment where

it should have been present. Scripture also has stirring examples of

ordinary people who, with God’s help, committed themselves to

friends and families and kept their promises.

Look

at the following families and their levels of commitment. How

could commitment have been strengthened in some families?

What encouraged the commitment shown in the others?

Parent-child commitment (Gen. 33:12-14, Exod. 2:1-10)

____________________________________________________________________

Sibling commitment (Gen. 37:17-28)

____________________________________________________________________

Family commitment (Ruth 1:16-18; 2:11, 12, 20; 3:9-13; 4:10, 13)

____________________________________________________________________

Marital commitment (Hos. 1:2, 3, 6, 8; 3:1-3)

____________________________________________________________________

When we commit ourselves to another person, as in marriage or in

the decision to bear or adopt a child, there must be a willing surren-

der of ourselves in order to make a different choice in the future, a

surrender of control over an important segment of our lives. Laws

may restrain negative behavior, but marriage and family relationships

need love within them to enable them to flourish.

What does Jesus’ promise of commitment (Heb. 13:5) mean to

you personally? What effect should His commitment to you

e on y

our commitment to Him,

to y

our spouse

, to your chil-

dren, and to fellow believers?

___________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

February 24

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “A Sacred Circle,” The Adventist

Home, pp. 177–180; Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, pp. 236–238.

Unity—the first work. “The first work of Christians is to be united

in the family. . . .

“The more closely the members of a family are united in their work

in the home, the more uplifting and helpful will be the influence that

father and mother and sons and daughters will exert outside the

home.”—Ellen G. White,

The Adventist Home, p. 37.

The secret of family unity. “The cause of division and discord in

families and in the church is separation from Christ. To come near to

Christ is to come near to one another. The secret of true unity in the

church and in the family is not diplomacy, not management, not a

superhuman effort to overcome difficulties—though there will be

much of this to do—but union with Christ.”—Page 179.

Discussion Questions:

● Talk about the forces in your own society that work against

family unity. What practical solutions can you offer to a family

that is struggling against these influences?

● Is there a family in your church right now that has come

apart? If so, what can you do as a class to help each member in

this crisis time?

● Discuss this whole question of submission. How is it to be

understood in a Christian context? In what ways has the princi-

ple been abused?

Summary:

The Bible exalts Christ as the great Center who draws all

disconnected relationships together in His body on the cross. His love

courts and wins sinners, reconciling them within a warm and caring

fellowship that astounds the world and glorifies God.

tor

INSIDE

One Bullet for Porras, Part 2

by ANTONIO SENDING, JR.

Porras watched his dreams for the future crumble as his father accepted

a proposal for him to marry a girl from a neighboring village. The mar-

riage would ease tensions between the villages and prevent future blood-

shed, but Porras wanted to study and become a teacher. To disobey his

father could well mean his death, but to obey meant the death of his

dream. Frustrated and confused, Porras asked his student-missionary

teachers what to do. They could only pray for him and urge him to pray for

God’s will to be done.

God answered Porras’s prayers, and no wedding was held. A gift of

another horse averted the possibility of war between the villages.

When it was time for us to return to Mountain View College to give our

monthly report, we asked the chief to allow Porras to go with us. We

planned to spend several days working on the new Adventist high school

for Manobo youth. To everyone’s surprise the chief agreed to let Porras go.

“I want Porras out from this village,” he said. “If anyone else asks him to

marry, surely there will be bloodshed.”

But Porras’s mother could not be convinced to allow her son to leave.

“No!” she wailed. “I will die if my boy goes! I will never see him again.”

“If you did not want him to go to the new high school, you should have

given him in marriage!” the chief roared.

Finally Porras was allowed to go. The villagers gathered for a last

farewell. Porras comforted his crying mother as his father spoke. Holding

his rifle, he announced, “Today marks the day when my boy will leave this

village for the first time. He is the first one to go from this village to attend

the Adventist high school. When he finishes there, he will go to Mountain

View College to study. And, if it is God’s will, he will return to us and be

our teacher. I will miss my boy. I don’t want him to come home until he is

done with school, because if he does, someone will trap him into mar-

riage. Now, I will shoot one bullet for Porras, to drive away any evil spir-

its that would keep him from following his dreams.”

BANG!

Everyone hugged Porras goodbye. His mother cried as we walked down

the path toward his future. Through tear-filled eyes his father watched us

go. They wait eagerly for the day when he will return, educated and able

to lead his people out of spiritual darkness into God’s light.

ANT

ONIO

SENDING, JR. w

as a missionary teac

her at the Ulo't Langilan Mission Sc

hool in

Mindanao, southern Philippines when he wrote this.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*February 25–March 3

Homes of Peace

and Healing

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

Ps. 37:8, Matt. 5:22, 12:1-

14, 18:15-18, Mark 7:6-13, Phil. 2:1-16, Col. 3:12-15.

Memory Text:

“ ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I

do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be

troubled and do not be afraid’ ” (John 14:27, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

The Bible gives us principles that,

if applied, can help minimize family conflict and turmoil.

he schoolchildren were trying out a new seesaw. The bigger and

heavier kids moved closer to the center; lighter riders stayed out

at the end. Once everyone was balanced, each child got a good

ride. Things went fine until some mischievous bigger boys seemed to

get pleasure from bouncing girls in the air like rag dolls until they

screamed to get off. Then kids started piling on at opposite ends, each

side trying to outweigh the other. Before long, the seesaw, the toy that

had been the setting of so much fun, became a painful place. No one

wanted to ride on it anymore.

Family life is sometimes like a seesaw. Life is more pleasant when

people respect and care for others. Sadly, individuals experience pain

when some use their status or position in the family to dominate, con-

trol, or treat others harshly. This week’s lesson looks at ways relation-

ships run into difficulty and how God, in His Word, provides insights

that help His children move from hurt to healing.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 4.

SUNDAY

February 26

Saints Have Family Problems Too

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the

bond of peace”

(Eph. 4:3, NIV).

Christian believers possess by faith the precious spiritual reality of

being seated in heavenly places with Christ (Eph. 2:6). In daily life, as

they await His return and their removal from the presence of sin, some

tension, discord, even conflict may occur. This is a part of the human

experience with intimate relationships (Gal. 5:17). Friction can come

because people differ widely in disposition, habits, education, and

ways of looking at things. Families must find ways to respect the indi-

viduality of each member yet be able to function and enjoy life as a

close-knit group. The mark of healthy Christian relationships is not

only keeping conflicts to a minimum but surmounting, in ways that

accord with the gospel, those conflicts that do come.

How

does the Bible teach God’s people to deal with the conflicts that

may arise among them? Summarize the principles in Matthew

18:15-18, Philippians 2:1-16, and Colossians 3:12-15.

____________________________________________________________________

Christian love and tolerance enable many families to cope with

great differences. Others find themselves in uncomfortable situations

that must be remedied if unity and peace are to be maintained.

Without resolution—anger, hostility, and distance may develop in the

relationship. Facing conflict can be difficult; many avoid or shy away

from it, deny it exists, or withdraw emotionally. Others determine to

get their way at any cost, while many simply give in to keep peace.

Think back over family struggles you either have experienced or

seen. What caused them? How might they have been more eas-

ily resolved? How could the principles seen in today’s text have

made a big difference?

MONDAY

February 27

Putting Anger in Its Place

Scripture plainly condemns angry attitudes and behaviors that are

destructive to individuals and relationships

(Gen. 49:6, 7; Ps. 37:8;

Matt. 5:22; Gal. 5:19-21). These belong to the “old man,” whom

Christians are called to “put off ” (Eph. 4:31, Col. 3:8-10). However,

the Bible acknowledges that anger as an emotion is part of life in

Christ (Eph. 4:22-27).

Anger sounds an alarm inside us when inequity or injustice is rec-

ognized or when there is oppression of the innocent. Moses felt this

emotion in defense of God’s name and cause (Exod. 32:19); Jesus did,

too, when His ministry, the Sabbath, and the man with the withered

hand were all treated with coldhearted indifference by the religious

leaders (Mark 3:1-5). Injustice aroused anger in David and Nehemiah

(compare 2 Sam. 12:5, Neh. 5:6). Jacob loved Rachel (Gen. 29:30)

but became angry when he felt accused unfairly by her (30:1, 2).

What

do you think “In your anger, do not sin” (Eph. 4:26, 27, NIV)

means for believers?

● “In your anger do not sin” indicates that the emotion of anger

and sin are not one and the same. The feeling of anger is not sin in

itself. Family members are to give each other permission to have this

emotion and to report it without guilt.

● “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Eph.

4:26, NIV)

indicates that anger is to be processed promptly. Final res-

olution of issues may take time, but anger can often be diffused by a

“soft answer”

(Prov. 15:1). “Soft answers” are caring responses that

result from listening, accepting the person, and recognizing the deeper

feelings such as fear, frustration, or hurt that triggered the anger.

Getting behind the anger like this helps families clear things up and

grow closer to each other.

Some people tend to blow up the instant they are angry; others

hold it inside, where it seethes and festers. What is your own ten-

dency, and what promises can you find in the Bible that can help

you toward a more Christlike resolution of your anger?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

February 28

Anguished Hearts

Unthinkable as it is, research reveals that the home is the single

most violent place in society. Family violence touches all kinds of

families, including Christian homes. Violence is an assault of any

kind—verbal, physical, emotional, sexual, or active or passive neg-

lect—that is committed by one person or persons against another in

the family.

The

Bible includes accounts of family violence, even among God’s

people. What are your thoughts and feelings as you read these

verses? Why do you think these stories were preserved in

Scripture?

Gen. 37:17-28

____________________________________________________________________

2 Sam. 13:1-22

____________________________________________________________________

2 Kings 16:3, 17:17, 21:6

____________________________________________________________________

Though

people today don’t burn their children on altars to pagan

gods, what are some modern parallels to this same practice?

Abusive behavior is the conscious choice of a person to exercise

power and control over another. It cannot be explained or excused by

alcoholism, stress, the need to fulfill sexual desires, the need for bet-

ter control of anger, or any behavior of the victim. Victims are not

responsible for causing the abuser to abuse. Abusers distort and per-

vert love, for “love does no harm”

(Rom. 13:10, NIV). Professional

treatment can facilitate change in an abuser’s behavior but only if the

person takes responsibility for the behavior and seeks such help. To

those who will open themselves to His presence, God “is able to do

exceedingly abundantly” to help abusers stop abusing, to repent of

their attitudes and behavior, to make restitution in every way possible,

and to embrace the qualities of agape love to heal their own hearts and

to love others

(compare Eph. 3:20).

ry to put y

ourself in the place of someone traumatized by vio-

lence. What words of acceptance, comfort, and hope would you

like to hear? Why is it important to provide safety and caring

acceptance rather than offering advice about how to live better

with the a

buser?

WEDNESDAY

March 1

Twisting the Word

With

which of these statements do you agree or disagree? Why?

● People who are abused should turn the other cheek.

● Wives should be submissive, regardless of what their husbands

do to them.

● Violent behavior by a spouse or a parent is just a cross some peo-

ple have to bear.

● The pain we encounter in life is ultimately for our good.

Victims of violence in Christian families need support to find safety

for themselves and their children and to meet other practical and emo-

tional needs. Times of domestic violence are times of great spiritual

crisis. Where was God when I was being abused? Is God punishing

me for something I have done or trying to teach me a lesson?

Sometimes their deep-seated beliefs or the counsel they receive will

have a tendency to prolong, rather than relieve, their situation.

No Christian principle supports or condones abuse. Those who seek

biblical texts to defend their behavior are guilty not only of abuse but

of perverting the Word of God. Christ championed the cause of the

oppressed. It is His Spirit to love and accept, to affirm and build oth-

ers up rather than to abuse or tear others down. His followers are

called to rectify those religious and cultural beliefs that some may

twist and pervert in order to justify or cover up family violence.

The

New Testament has examples of people twisting doctrines in

order to justify their own ways. See, for example, Matthew 12:1-

14, Mark 7:6-13. Which Bible texts might some people pervert in

an attempt to justify their abuse?

____________________________________________________________________

Victims need people who are sensitive and careful about offering

hasty solutions or moralizing. Abused persons need help accessing the

specialized help they need. While those seeking to help them encour-

age victims in getting professional care if possible, they also minister

to them graciously and compassionately, providing them with stabil-

ity in a time of unrest.

THURSDAY

March 2

The Gift of Forgiveness

At the heart of Christianity is an incredibly wonderful concept—

forgiveness. It is God’s gift to families when hearts and relationships

have been wounded.

What

do the following texts tell us about forgiveness? Matt. 18:27,

Luke 23:34, Rom. 5:6-11, Eph. 1:7.

Through the Cross of Christ, forgiveness is offered, even before the

offenders ask for it (Luke 23:34; compare Acts 5:31, 13:38, 26:18).

By His grace God made a fountain that has washed us and invites us

to come, repent, and be clean (compare Rom. 2:4). Humanly, forgive-

ness is a decision to let go of the destructive malice of revenge. We

remind our wounded hearts that Christ has suffered for all sin, ours

against God and that of others against us. We then pass forgiveness

on. The hurt one is now freed within, whether or not the offender asks

for forgiveness. It does not, however, free the wrongdoer from respon-

sibility, from the need to repent, or from all the consequences of the

abusive behavior.

What

do these texts tell us about forgiveness? 2 Chron. 7:14, Matt.

18:32-35, 1 John 1:9.

Notice the conditional “if ” in these texts. If forgiveness is ulti-

mately to be effective, there must be repentance on the part of the

wrongdoer. Recognizable earmarks of true repentance include: stop-

ping the offending behavior, giving a sincere apology, taking respon-

sibility for the behavior and damage done, showing care for the pain

of the wronged one, making restitution in every way possible, and

making changes to protect against reoccurrence.

Reconciliation is not the same as forgiveness. For reconciliation to

occur, both must want it and be willing to try to rebuild trust again.

Over time, through open communication and consideration of each

one’s needs and feelings, destructive relational patterns can change.

Patterns of conflict resolution that meet the needs of both can be cul-

tivated.

In what way does the assurance that we have been forgiven by

God in Christ give us courage to offer forgiveness to a wrong-

doer or to make a much-needed apology?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

March 3

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 304–306;

“The Measure of Forgiveness,” Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 243–251;

Sons and Daughters of God, p. 142; Testimonies to Ministers,

p. 100.

Justifiable indignation. “It is true there is an indignation that is jus-

tifiable, even in the followers of Christ. When they see that God is dis-

honored, and His service brought into disrepute, when they see the

innocent oppressed, a righteous indignation stirs the soul. Such anger,

born of sensitive morals, is not a sin. But those who at any supposed

provocation feel at liberty to indulge anger or resentment are opening

the heart to Satan. Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the

soul if we would be in harmony with heaven.”—Ellen G. White, The

Desire of Ages, p. 310.

Discussion Questions:

● What are some of the cultural attitudes that exist in your own

society that help create an environment in which family abuse is

tolerated? What can you as a class do to help church members be

on guard against assimilating these attitudes?

● For those who are willing (and only to an appropriate degree),

talk about how their own family works through conflicts. What

have they learned from their own experiences that could help

others facing similar challenges?

● Discuss the difference between forgiveness and what some-

times is mistaken for forgiveness—tolerance, excusing the

wrongdoer, absorbing the blame, or rationalizing the hurtful

behavior. Why is it so important to know the difference?

Summary:

Some conflict can be expected in close relationships.

Often, through prayerful use of scriptures that teach about relation-

ships, these can be reduced and managed by Christians.

tor

INSIDE

The Accident That Saved His Life

by MASAMI TANAKA

Masami lay in the emergency room trying to answer the doctor and the police’s

questions. “I was driving, then I lost control of the car. It skidded. Then I heard a thud.

The next thing I remember was crawling out of the car.”

Masami had suffered only a few bruises in the crash, so the doctors released him

from the hospital that night. He could find no bus or taxi, so he walked several miles

to his home.

During the days following his accident, Masami had time to think about life and

his near-fatal crash. He could not deny the conviction that something—or some-

one—had saved him from death. But who?

Masami had resented all religion and was glad when he no longer had to follow

the foolish beliefs his father had taught him. He did not need his father’s god—or any

god. He could care for himself.

After the accident, he was willing to admit that some powerful deity might exist

somewhere. He remembered an acquaintance who attended a Christian church.

Perhaps he could ask his friend to help him sort out what had happened to him. He

contacted his friend and asked which church he attended. Masami decided to visit the

church—not every week, but occasionally. He knew little about God, but he enjoyed

the fellowship and the Bible study. He found his commitment to God increasing. This

is a faith I can believe in, he told himself. It’s not like my father’s religion.

Two years after he began attending the church, he was baptized.

He met some volunteer missionaries who were teaching English and giving Bible

studies in Osaka. He feels that God sent them to show God’s love and compassion

to him, giving him a strong tie with the church. Throughout his life God provided

good people to guide him and strengthen him. He met his wife in church, and she

strengthens him. God’s presence had never been conspicuous in his life before he

invited Him in to live in his life. But Masami is sure that He was always there, watch-

ing over him, protecting him.

Masami has had several accidents and experiences since then that have developed

his faith. As his faith was growing, he had another accident. Falling while playing

ball, he fell and broke both wrists. Because he had no serious pain, he did not go to

a surgeon. But some time later he began feeling pain in his shoulders. The doctor

examined him but found nothing wrong with his shoulders. A little further investi-

gation led to the old break in his wrists. The doctor x-rayed and found that the wrist

bones had both been broken and had never healed. He had to have surgery on both

wrists. This was not good news, but it gave him time to spend with God. While he

was still in the hospital after the surgery, his church called and asked him to work

with the youth.

To this day God has led him gently, kindly. He wants to let many people know

bout this w

onderful God. He w

ould lik

e to do w

hate

ver he can to bring others to God.

MASAMI TANAKA is a businessman living in Osaka, Japan. He is active in the Osaka

Central Church.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*March 4-10

Families of Faith

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This W

eek’s Study:

John 1:12, 13; 3:7; Acts

10:1-28, 34, 35; 1 Cor. 2:2; 1 Thess. 5:21, 22; 1 John 5:1.

Memor

y Text:

“Therefore . . . let us run with endurance the race

that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of

our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of

the throne of God”

(Hebrews 12:1, 2, NKJV).

The Week at a Glance:

Families face a lot of cultural

pressures; the power of the gospel can allow them to confront

those pressures victoriously.

nd this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the

world for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14). We, living

in the early twenty-first century, have the opportunity to see

this prophecy being fulfilled in a way that earlier generations could

not. Of course, as the gospel is spreading into new lands, new cultures,

it meets with various traditions and practices, some of which might fit

nicely with the truths given to us by God about families; while others,

in contrast, might be in conflict with these truths in marked ways.

Regardless, though, of the culture in which the gospel is preached

and li

ved, Christian families confront cultural challenges all the time.

The g

reat news is that the power of the gospel gives us light, comfort,

and strength to deal with these challenges and to be “families of

faith.”

*Study this w

eek’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 11.

SUNDAY

March 5

Hold Fast What Is Good

As the gospel circles the globe, Christians encounter different cul-

tures and practices, many of which pertain to family and social rela-

tionships. One of the great questions for Christian missionaries

regards how they should relate to various cultural norms about many

things, including family relationships they might personally find

uncomfortable.

Read

Acts 10:1-28, 34, 35. What can we learn here about our need to

overcome our own barriers and prejudices when dealing with

other cultures?

Christ’s death was for the sins of every human being everywhere.

Many people simply do not know this great truth yet. To bring this

news with an invitation to respond is the evangelistic mission of

Christians. Because God shows no partiality, Christians are called to

treat everyone with respect and integrity, giving them a chance to

embrace the good news that is for them, as well.

What

conclusions did early Christian missionaries reach regarding

the presentation of the gospel to other cultures? What principle

can we draw from these texts? Acts 15:19, 20, 28, 29; 1 Cor. 2:2;

1 Thess. 5:21, 22.

Though every culture mirrors the fallen condition of the people

within it, cultures also may have beliefs that are compatible with

Scripture, even useful to the cause of the gospel. The value placed

upon close relationships in family and community in many parts of

the world is an example. Christians can uphold and strengthen that

which is good and in keeping with biblical principles.

At the same time, God’s truth must not be compromised. Church

history sadly shows that compromise and accommodation to cultures

have yielded a patchwork of pseudo-Christian beliefs posing as

authentic Christianity. Satan claims to be the god of this world and

happil

y spreads confusion, b

ut Jesus has redeemed this w

orld, and His

Spirit guides His followers into all truth

(John 16:13).

w m

uch of your faith is shaped by your culture, and how

much is biblical truth? How can you learn to discern between

the tw

o? Be pr

epar

ed to discuss your answer in class.

MONDAY

March 6

The Power of Culture on Family

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his

household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to

do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham

that which he hath spoken of him” (Gen. 18:19).

Though they might come in various configurations, families are the

building blocks of society; thus, many distinct cultural traits of vari-

ous societies are directly tied to family. For instance, in one ancient

culture it was deemed a man’s responsibility to eat the corpse of his

dead parents; in another, a man who wanted a bride had to bring her

father a dowry of shrunken heads from a rival tribe. Even in modern

times, ideas relating to children, courtship, divorce, marriage, parents,

and so forth vary widely. As we spread our message to these various

cultures, we have to learn how to relate to them in ways that, while not

compromising our beliefs, do not cause unnecessary problems. At the

same time, and closer to home, we have to be very aware of just what

cultural influences impact our families.

what ways did culture impact family life in the following examples?

What principles can we learn from these examples?

Gen. 16:1-3

____________________________________________________________________

Gen. 35:1-4

____________________________________________________________________

Ezra 10

____________________________________________________________________

1 Kings 11:1

____________________________________________________________________

None of us lives in a vacuum; all of us and our families are

impacted by the culture in which we live. Our responsibility as

Christians is to exist within our culture the best we can, keeping that

which is in harmony with our faith, while shunning, as much as pos-

sible, that which conflicts with it.

What things in your particular culture are helpful to family life

and in harmony with the Bible? What things are not? How can

you best adapt your faith to your culture without compromising

essential truths?

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

March 7

Sustaining Families Through Seasons

of Change

Change is an inescapable, unsettling occurrence in families, regard-

less of whatever culture they live in. Some change is related to pre-

dictable passage through the life cycle. Often change is unpredictable;

such as deaths, disasters, wars, illnesses, family moves, or career fail-

ures. Many families face economic and social changes in their commu-

nities and countries. Other changes are directly related to the culture.

Below

are some examples of great, even traumatic, changes people

faced. Using your imagination, put yourself in their positions. How

did these changes impact their family life? What mechanism

would you have needed in order to help cope? In what ways might

you have reacted differently?

● Abraham, Sarah, and Lot (Gen. 12:1-5)

____________________________________________________________________

● Hadassah (Esther 2:7-9)

____________________________________________________________________

● Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Dan. 1:1-21)

____________________________________________________________________

With change comes the experience of loss and the anxiety of uncer-

tainty as to one’s immediate future. Depending on a family’s ability to

adjust to changes, these experiences can propel people to new levels

of growth and appreciation for spiritual things, or they can lead to

stress and anxiety. Satan exploits the disruption that changes bring,

hoping to introduce doubt and distrust in God. The promises of God’s

Word, the resources of family and friends, and the assurance that their

lives were in God’s hands helped many heroes and heroines of faith

cope successfull

y with momentous life uphea

al.

If you know someone (or even a whole family) who is facing a

aumatic chang

, do something in a practical way to give them

some help and encouragement.

WEDNESDAY

March 8

Toward a First-Generation Faith

What

crisis of faith developed in Israel after Joshua and his peers

died? Judg. 2:7-13.

____________________________________________________________________

Studies of how values and beliefs in organizations, such as

churches, are transmitted to subsequent generations show that the

founders have very high levels of commitment to the beliefs. They

were the ones who first championed them. Within a generation or two,

many lose sight of the principles behind the values. They may go

along with the organization but often from habit. In subsequent gen-

erations, habits tend to crystallize into traditions. The founders’ pas-

sion is no longer present.

has been said that God has no grandchildren, only children. What do

you think that means? See also John 1:12, 13; 3:7; 1 John 5:1.

____________________________________________________________________

A common approach to transmitting values through long genera-

tions of Christianity has been for older ones simply to tell the youth

what they believe. Learning what one’s parents believe or what the

church believes is not personal faith, however. Being a Christian is

more than belonging to an organization with a history and a dogma.

True faith is not something genetic, is not something that is passed on

naturally from one generation to another. Each one needs to know

Christ for himself or herself. Parents can do only so much. The

church, as a whole, and parents in particular, need to do all they can

to create an environment that will make young people want to make

that right choice, but, in the end, a generation is saved or lost for the

gospel one person at a time.

Joe, coming out of atheism, joined the Seventh-day Adventist

Chur

ch as an adult after a powerful conversion experience. He

married an Adventist woman and had a few children, whom

the

, of course, raised in the faith. One day, thinking about the

spiritual condition of his childr

en,

he said,

“Oh,

if onl

y my chil-

dren would have the experience that I had!” If you had been

there, what would you have said to him?

THURSDAY

March 9

Twenty-first-Century Runners

In his popular Bible paraphrase The Message, Eugene Peterson uses

message wherever the biblical word for “gospel” appears. The good

news about Jesus is truly the

message still needed by the world today.

Christian families are called to experience it together and to share it

in whatever culture they live.

How

would you summarize “the message” using the following texts?

Matt. 28:5-7; John 3:16; Rom. 1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:18-21.

The earliest news with which the disciples ran everywhere was of

the resurrection of Jesus. Christian families today join a long line of

runners, proclaiming, “He is risen, as he said” (Matt. 28:7). The real-

ity of His resurrection makes credible everything else Jesus said

about Himself, about God and His love for sinners, about forgiveness,

and about the assurance of eternal life by faith in Him.

Passionate about the gospel. Scripture gives glimpses of the

gospel’s sweeping effect on the lives of Jesus’ early followers. They

opened their homes for Bible study; they prayed and ate together,

shared money and resources, and took care of one another. Whole

households embraced the message. Were they suddenly flawless peo-

ple? No. Were there some conflicts and discord among them? Yes. But

somehow these followers of Christ were different. They acknowl-

edged their needs for God and for one another. They put a priority on

unity and harmony at home and at church, endeavoring to fulfill the

Gethsemane prayer of Jesus

(John 17:20-23). They witnessed to one

another and to unbelievers with boldness, even putting their lives at

risk for their beliefs.

So must it be for us. Even in the current age, jaundiced as it is

toward godly things, people who are excited about something still get

a hearing. The Spirit longs to fill human hearts with excitement about

the gospel. When the good news really becomes as good in our hearts

as it is within the Word, sharing will be spontaneous and unstoppable.

What changes might need to be made in your own family that

could help it become a better harbinger of the

message we have

been called to share?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

March 10

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “In the Court of Babylon,”

Prophets and Kings, pp. 479– 490; Gospel Workers, pp. 325–332;

“Rejoicing in the Lord,” Steps to Christ, pp. 115–126.

No respecter of persons. “The religion of Christ uplifts the receiver

to a higher plane of thought and action, while at the same time it pres-

ents the whole human race as alike the objects of the love of God,

being purchased by the sacrifice of His Son. At the feet of Jesus, the

rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, meet together, with no

thought of caste or worldly preeminence. All earthly distinctions are

forgotten as we look upon Him whom our sins have pierced. The self-

denial, the condescension, the infinite compassion of Him who was

highly exalted in heaven, puts to shame human pride, self-esteem, and

social caste. Pure, undefiled religion manifests its heaven-born prin-

ciples in bringing into oneness all who are sanctified through the

truth. All meet as blood-bought souls, alike dependent upon Him

who has redeemed them to God.”—Ellen G. White,

Gospel Workers,

p. 330.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, discuss your answers to the questions in Sunday’s

study.

● What principles can we find from the Ellen G. White quote

above that, if applied, would revolutionize our family lives?

● How well has your local church done in nurturing the younger

generation of believers? What can you as a class do to help the

church in this important task?

Summary:

The earliest evangelists understood that God shows no

partiality with people. The gospel belongs to all, and every culture

must hear it, as uncomplicated by the cultural trappings of the carri-

ers as possible. The good news introduces radical change, working

strategically but surely in the hearts of individuals and families.

tor

INSIDE

Delayed Delivery

by KRISTINA MUEHLHAUSER

Our home in Uganda was chaotic as we prepared to leave for a few

weeks’ vacation. In the busyness of life, I asked God to help us not to miss

opportunities to be a blessing to others.

Then Lucy, my language teacher, called me to attend the birth of her

grandchild. I hopped on my bicycle and pedaled through the dusty streets

to the hospital. I found the expectant mother, Christine, lying on a bed in

the maternity ward, surrounded by other women in labor. Christine was

not in true labor yet, but I hesitated to leave.

Darkness fell. Lucy and I lay down to rest on a thin mat on the cold

cement floor. The sheet that covered us was inadequate. I slept fitfully.

In the morning I hurried home to finish packing for our trip. Several

times I returned to the hospital to check on Christine’s progress. Still no

baby. I feared I would have to leave before the baby was born. Finally

Christine’s labor started in earnest. She paced the floor, moaning and cry-

ing in pain. I could not sleep. At dawn, she still had not dilated completely,

and my plane would leave in three hours.

I hurried home and told my husband to meet me at the hospital on the

way to the airport. Then I hurried back to the hospital. Christine was

exhausted, and the doctors were concerned that the baby would die if not

delivered quickly. I had to leave, but Christine clung to me, begging me to

stay.

I ran outside and told my family to go check in for the flight, that I

would take a

boda boda to the airport. Then I ran into the hospital.

Holding Christine’s head, I whispered, “You can do it. Push!” She

pushed with more strength than she had.

The phone in my pocket rang. It was my son. “Mom, the plane is due

any minute!” I did not dare look back. Choking back sobs, I raced toward

the street and hailed a

boda boda driver to rush me to the airport. As we

raced through the streets tears streaked my face.

I arrived at the airport and boarded the small plane. We roared into the

air. God, I cried, You are all powerful. Please take care of them. When we

arrived at the airport, I called home. Christine had delivered just minutes

after I left.

I am back home in Uganda, and I have visited Christine and held her

beautiful little boy. Thank You, God, for letting me be a part of their lives.

KRISTIN

MUEHLHA

USER

is a midwif

. She and her husband, Darr

el, w

k f

or the South

Sudan Field from Arua, Uganda.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*March 11-17

What Have They Seen in

Your House?

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’

s Study:

Isaiah 38; 39; 58:6, 7, 10-

12; 1 Cor. 7:12-15; Heb. 6:12; 13:7; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2; 3 John 11.

Memory Text:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the

praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful

light” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

The home life of Christians can

be a powerful evangelistic resource.

missaries from Babylon came to King Hezekiah of Judah to

hear firsthand about his miraculous recovery. Hezekiah happily

received these guests with a tour that showcased his armory and

expansive treasure. When they were gone, the prophet Isaiah con-

fronted him with a penetrating question: “ ‘What have they seen in

your house?’ ” (Isa. 39:4, NKJV).

What a question! Suppose that were asked of us? What have people

seen in our house? What have heavenly angels seen? What does any-

one see when walking in the door? What kind of spirit permeates our

residences? Can one

smell the scent of pra

er? Is there kindness, gen-

erosity, love? Will someone who is there walk away thinking Jesus is

in this home?

Let us dedicate our home life to Him and seek guidance in order

that our homes may bring glory to God.

*Study this w

eek’

s lesson to pr

epare for Sabbath, March 18.

SUNDAY

March 12

Learning From a King’s Mistake

Review

the account of Hezekiah’s healing and the visit of the

Babylonian ambassadors (2 Chron. 32:25, 31; Isaiah 38; 39).

Scripture points out that the messengers are interested in the mirac-

ulous recovery of King Hezekiah. However, Hezekiah seems to be

silent about his healing experience. He does not emphasize the things

that would have opened the hearts of these inquiring ambassadors to

the knowledge of the true God. The contrast between his gratitude for

being healed in chapter 38 and his silence about it in chapter 39 is

striking.

“God left him to test him.” This state visit is a most significant occa-

sion; yet, there is no record of Hezekiah seeking special guidance

about it in prayer, from prophets, or from priests. Nor does God inter-

vene. Alone, out of the public eye, with no consultation with spiritual

advisers, the work of God in his life and in the life of his nation

seems to recede from his mind. The intent of the historian in

2 Chronicles 32:31 may have been to show how easily God’s blessing

can be taken for granted and how prone the recipients of His mercy

are to becoming self-sufficient.

Below

are some lessons about faithfulness in home life that can be

gleaned from the experience of Hezekiah. What others can you

think of?

● Every visit to the homes of Christians is an opportunity for peo-

ple to meet followers of Christ.

● Few visitors are likely to open conversation about spiritual

things. Christians must find ways that are sensitive and appropriate to

the occasion to share the good news.

● Christians are not called to show off their material prosperity or

accomplishments, though they may recognize these as blessings from

God. They are called to “declare the praises of him who called you out

of darkness into his wonderful light”

(1 Pet. 2:9, NIV) or, to use

Hezekiah’s experience as a symbol, to declare that they were dying,

but Christ has healed them; they were dead in sin, and Christ resur-

rected them and seated them in heavenly places

(Eph. 2:4-6).

In w

hat w

ys ar

e y

ou a

le to use your home to witness to oth-

ers? How could you share your faith in Christ more forthrightly

with visitors to your home?

MONDAY

March 13

Family First

The most natural first recipients of our gospel-sharing endeavors

are the people in our households. There is no more important mission

field than this.

What

conclusions can be drawn from John 1:40-42 about sharing

faith at home? See also Deut. 6:6, 7; Ruth 1:14-18.

An enthusiastic report. Andrew went beyond mere reporting; he

arranged for his brother, Simon, to meet Jesus. An enthusiastic report

about Jesus and an introduction to Him as a Person—what a simple

formula for sharing the gospel with relatives in our homes! After the

introduction Andrew stepped back. From then on, Jesus and Peter had

a relationship of their own.

Helping children to a place of faith. Children in a home can often

be overlooked as fitting recipients of gospel-sharing efforts. Parents

mistakenly assume children simply will absorb family spirituality.

This must not be taken for granted. While children and young people

learn from the modeling they observe, it is also true these younger

members of the Lord’s family need individual attention and opportu-

nity to be introduced personally to Him. Deuteronomy 6 is insistent on

this point: Attention must be given to the most effective kind of reli-

gious education. Regular spiritual habits of personal and family wor-

ship are to be encouraged in the home. Time and earnest efforts must

be put forth on behalf of children and youth.

What

can we learn from the evangelistic efforts of Naomi? Ruth 1:8-22.

Ruth saw Naomi at the lowest of moments: when she tried to push

her daughter-in-law away and when, bitter and depressed and over-

whelmed by grief as she recounted her losses

(Ruth 1:15, 20, 21). No

more eloquent testimony than Ruth’s can be given to show that youth

can meet and make a commitment to a perfect God, even when intro-

duced to Him by an imperfect parent.

How does the notion of home as the most important mission

ield affect y

our attitude toward the people who live with you?

Work together as a family to prepare a list of specific efforts

your family can make to lead unsaved relatives to Christ.

____________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY

March 14

Peace That Wins

What

counsel does the New Testament have for marriages divided by

religion?

1 Cor. 7:12-15; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2.

The blessing of being a Christian partner. In 1 Corinthians Paul

responds to converts’ concerns that staying married to an unbelieving

spouse might be offensive to God or bring defilement upon them-

selves and their children. Not so, says Paul. The sacred state of mar-

riage and its intimacies are to continue after a partner’s conversion.

The presence of one Christian partner “sanctifies” the other partner

and the couple’s children. The word sanctifies should be understood in

the sense that unbelieving spouses come into contact with the bless-

ings of grace through living with their Christian partners.

Heartrending as it is, the unbelieving partner may decide to abandon

the marriage. Though consequences will be serious, the merciful word

of our God—who always upholds human freedom of choice—is “let

him do so.” The believer “is not bound in such circumstances” (1 Cor.

7:15, NIV).

Called to live in peace. The clear preference of the Word of God is

that, despite the challenges of a spiritually divided home, a way might

be found for the peace of Christ to reign there. The hope is to keep the

marriage intact, to give evidence of the triumph of the gospel in the

midst of difficulty, and to promote the comfort of the partner with

whom the believer is one flesh, though he or she be unbelieving.

What

might be the limitations of a spouse’s responsibility toward a

nonbelieving partner?

Lovingkindness, unwavering fidelity, humble service, and winsome

witness on the part of the believer create the greatest likelihood of

winning the non-Christian spouse. Submission in a Christian marriage

arises out of reverence for Christ (compare Eph. 5:21). When a spouse

relates with Christian submission to an unbelieving partner, the first

allegiance is always to Christ. Faithfulness to the claims of God on

one’s life does not require a spouse to suffer abuse at the hands of a

violent partner.

Is someone in your church struggling with an unbelieving

spouse? If so, in what practical ways could you possibly help?

____________________________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

March 15

Family Life Is for Sharing

the following verses, trace the New Testament uses of the words fol-

low (KJV) or imitate (NIV). What do they tell us about the process

of becoming and growing as a Christian? What do you think they

suggest about the relationship between modeling and witnessing?

1 Cor. 4:16, Eph. 5:1, 1 Thess. 1:6, Heb. 6:12, 13:7, 3 John 11.

The New Testament emphasis on imitation acknowledges the

important role of modeling in the learning process. People tend to

become like whom or what they watch. This principle applies to rela-

tionships generally and especially in the home, where imitation is

common. There, children imitate their parents and siblings; married

partners often imitate each other. This concept provides an important

clue to how couples and families can bear Christian witness to other

couples and families.

The power of social influence. We witness from our homes when we

provide opportunities for others to observe us and to share in our

home experience in some way. Many simply have no good example of

marriage or family relationships to follow. In our homes they may see

how the spirit of Jesus makes a difference. “Social influence,” wrote

Ellen White, “is a wonderful power. We can use it if we will as a

means of helping those about us.”—

The Ministry of Healing, p. 354.

As married couples invite other couples for meals, fellowship, or

Bible study, or when they attend a marital-growth program together,

the visitors see a model. The display of mutuality, affirmation, com-

munication, conflict-resolution, and accommodation of differences

testifies of family life in Christ.

this context, however, of what must we always be careful? Jer. 17:9,

John 2:25, Rom. 3:23.

Follow believers who follow Christ. All human examples are flawed;

however, the witness of the Christian home is not about modeling

absolute perfection. The New Testament notion of imitation is a call

for individuals to follow believers who follow Christ. The idea is that

individuals will grasp Christian faith as they see it demonstrated in the

ves of others who are as human and fallible as they are.

What could y

ou do to mak

e your home a better model for

Christian witnessing?

____________________________________________________________________

THURSDAY

March 16

Centers of Contagious Friendliness

Compare

biblical references on hospitality with actual incidents in

the homes of several Bible families listed below.

Isa. 58:6, 7, 10-12;

Rom. 12:13; 1 Pet. 4:9. Note the attributes of hospitality that are

demonstrated.

Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 18:1-8)

____________________________________________________________________

Rebekah and her family (Gen. 24:15-20)

____________________________________________________________________

Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9)

____________________________________________________________________

Hospitality meets another person’s basic needs for rest, food, and

fellowship. It is a tangible expression of self-giving love. Jesus

attached theological significance to hospitality when He taught that

feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty were acts of service

done to Him (Matt. 25:34-40). Using one’s home for ministry may

range from simply inviting neighbors to a meal to the radical hospi-

tality of lending a room to an abuse victim. It may involve simple

friendliness, an opportunity to offer prayer with someone, or the con-

ducting of Bible studies. True hospitality springs from the hearts of

those who have been touched by God’s love and want to express their

love in words and actions.

Families sometimes complain that they lack the facilities, the time,

and/or the energy to offer hospitality. Others feel awkward, unskilled,

and unsure about reaching beyond what is familiar in order to associ-

ate with unbelievers. Some wish to avoid the complications to their

lives that may arise from becoming involved with others. Many con-

temporar

y families confuse

hospitality and entertaining

In what ways does your home life reflect your own spiritual con-

dition?

____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY

March 17

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “A Powerful Christian Witness,”

“Attitude Toward an Unbelieving Companion,” The Adventist Home,

pp. 35–39; pp. 348–352; “Ministry of the Home,” The Ministry of

Healing, pp. 349–355; “The Ambassadors From Babylon,” Prophets

and Kings, pp. 340–348.

The power of the home in evangelism. “Far more powerful than any

sermon that can be preached is the influence of a true home upon

human hearts and lives. . . .

“Our sphere of influence may seem narrow, our ability small, our

opportunities few, our acquirements limited; yet wonderful possibili-

ties are ours through a faithful use of the opportunities of our own

homes.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, pp. 352, 355.

Discussion Questions:

● Ask anyone in class if it were the influence of someone’s home

that helped him or her make a decision for Christ. Discuss just

what it was that made such an impression. What can the class

learn from that experience?

● In what practical ways can you as a class minister to a family

with an unbelieving spouse?

● As a class, talk about some of the pressures in the home that

work against faith. Write up a list of some of these things; then

across from them, write down possible solutions.

Summary:

The private lives of Christians are a means of witness to

children, unbelieving spouses, other relatives, and visitors. While faith

sharing at home may not always be as complete as one would like or

result in the conversion of relatives and visitors, imperfect family

members seek to point the way to a perfect Savior. Through generous

hospitality, expressed in the Savior’s name, they bring within the

realm of grace all whose lives they touch.

tor

INSIDE

God Shall Provide

by SALNAVE RIARD

I loved sharing my faith with others and received little satisfaction from

operating my small business. I felt God calling me to study theology at the

Adventist university in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Finances were a problem. I did not earn enough to pay my tuition and

eat. I gave my problems to God and focused on reaching others, and God

blessed.

One day as I walked out of my house, I saw some people crying. They

told me that a child had died. The mother and father led me to the child,

about four years old, who lay limp and cold on the bed. His mother said

that he had been sick for two days and had died some time later. I picked

up the child and hugged him to my body. I prayed for God to help me, then

I read Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in

trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way”

(NIV).

Then I knelt to pray.

“God, I present myself and this child to You. You can see his weeping

family. Come to us, Lord, and show these people that You are God, that

Your name will be praised.”

Suddenly someone shouted, “Pray, pray!” Then I felt a slight movement

in my arms. He was alive! My prayers turned to praise as I thanked God

for the life of the child. The child lay calmly in my arms as I praised God.

Then I gave the child to his mother.

The family asked me what they owed me for bringing their child back

to life. Shocked, I told them they owed me nothing, but they owed God

their lives and their praise. He was the One who had saved the child’s life.

I invited the family to visit the nearby Adventist church to listen to the

message of God.

When I returned from holding meetings in

southern Haiti, I visited the family and studied

the Bible with them. At least one member of the

family has become an Adventist.

I had been concerned about money, but God

showed me that I could trust Him for every-

thing. I quit fretting about my bills, and God

provided a sponsor to help me through school.

It is true what the Bible says, “My God shall

provide all my needs.”

Salnave Riar

d (left) lives in centr

al Haiti; he studies

theology at the Adventist University of Haiti.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

L ESSON

*March 18-24

Turning Hearts in the

End Time

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study:

1 Kings 16:29–17:24;

Mal. 4:5, 6; Matt. 3:2; 11:14, 15; 17:10; 18:20-45.

Memory Text:

“

‘I will send you the prophet Elijah before that

great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts

of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to

their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse’ ”

(Malachi 4:5, 6, NIV).

The Week at a Glance:

In the closing verses of the Old

Testament, a heart-turning work by Elijah is predicted before the

day of the Lord.

boy ran away from home. After years of no word from him, the

parents got a postcard. He was coming their way and wanted

to see them. “I’ll be riding the train that runs behind our

house,” he wrote. “If it’s OK for me to stop and see you, hang a white

handkerchief on the fence, and I’ll get off at the next station. If it’s not

there, I’ll just keep riding.”

As the train hurtled toward his boyhood home, he wondered,

Will

the handkerchief be there? Finally, the fence came into view, covered

with handkerchiefs, towels, bedsheets, and pillowcases, not only on

the fence but on the shrubbery and the trees—a great mass of white,

ying WELCOME HOME!

The point should be obvious.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 25.

SUNDAY

March 19

The Prophecy of Turned Hearts

Compare

the prediction of the coming of Elijah with New

Testament references to this event. Mal. 4:5, 6; Matt. 11:14, 15;

17:10; Mark 6:15; Luke 1:17.

In the days of Malachi, God’s appeal to the nation, “ ‘Return to Me,

and I will return to you,’ ” met with the arrogant response, “ ‘ “In what

way shall we return?” ’ ”

(Mal. 3:7, NKJV). The frustrated prophet

announced that one further opportunity for revival would be given.

Recalling the heart-turning reform begun by Elijah (1 Kings 18:37),

Malachi predicted his coming again to “ ‘turn the hearts of the fathers

to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers’ ” (Mal.

4:6, NIV).

A Jewish tradition developed that Elijah would appear personally as

the herald of the Messiah (compare Matt. 17:10, Mark 6:15).

However, the New Testament presents John the Baptist as a fulfillment

of the prophecy (Matt. 11:14, 15; Luke 1:17).

What

do you think the phrase “turn the hearts” means?

Several applications are possible for these texts: It refers to the rec-

onciliation of the people of Israel with the Lord. God as Father (Isa.

63:16) has turned from His wrath toward His children (Mic. 7:18, 19)

and calls them to return to Him (Isa. 44:22, Mal. 3:7). It refers to the

reconnecting of later generations with their faithful ancestors through

covenant renewal.

The prophetic call for God’s people to follow the

faith of the patriarchs was given repeatedly in the Old Testament.

Whether the land continued as a blessed dwelling place was directly

related to covenant faithfulness (Deut. 4:29-31). It refers to the

restoration and renewal of family relationships. Parent-child relation-

ships are a practical expression of covenant faithfulness with God.

Here, too, fulfillment of responsibilities to parents and children inter-

weave with continued inheritance of the land and God’s blessing

(Prov. 2:21).

What is the connection between a restored relationship with

God and restored relationships in our families? Why must one

precede the other?

____________________________________________________________________

MONDAY

March 20

Family Reunion

The introduction of Baal worship into Israel by Jezebel, the

Sidonian wife of King Ahab, hastened the nation’s downward moral

slide. The teachings of God that uplifted marriage, family, and sexu-

ality were overshadowed by practices such as incest, prostitution, and

other sexual perversions. Into this arena of conflict over worship

stepped Elijah, whose very name, “Jehovah-is-my-God,” rebuked a

belief in Baal.

What

experience of Elijah associated him with overturning heathen

beliefs and bringing new life to families? 1 Kings 16:29–17:24;

compare Luke 4:25, 26.

Elijah was a marked man after announcing the curse of drought

upon the land. God sheltered him in an unlikely place—at a poor

widow’s dwelling in Zarephath of Sidon, near Jezebel’s hometown.

Elijah greeted the widow with a grim test, to use her last bits of kin-

dling, oil, and flour to feed him and to trust God for her future. Her

faith became legendary. Jesus Himself would later commend her

(Luke 4:26). As her oil and meal stretched out over many days, the

woman came to understand more about Jehovah. Then, tragically, her

only son fell sick and died. In expressing her grief to Elijah, she

reflected the familiar religion around her, the perverted beliefs that

now engulfed Israel, in which one’s sin could require child sacrifice

(1 Kings 17:18; compare Jer. 19:5, Mic. 6:7).

What

effect did the reunion with her son have upon the Phoenician

widow’s spiritual experience?

1 Kings 17:24. What can we learn

from her comments?

The mother’s response reveals the effect of the Elijah message. Faith

in God and His Word arises in the heart as, by His power, life is

restored and the family is reunited. Many today may give assent as

doctrines are preached but are lukewarm in their spiritual experience.

However, when the truths of God’s Word are experienced personally

and revival and restoration occur in home relationships, conviction

comes e

er so much more powerfully upon the heart.

What are some family reunions that you are still waiting for?

What promises of God are you clinging to that give you hope of

that r

eunion?

TUESDAY

March 21

Turning Hearts at the Altar

Read

1 Kings 18:20-45. Write out what essentially this whole episode

is about. Though the context is totally different, how can the prin-

ciples seen in this story apply to family life?

____________________________________________________________________

On Mount Carmel, Elijah longed for covenant renewal on the part

of his nation, a turning back to the faith of their fathers that would

bring healing to their lives, their homes, and their land.

The hour of the evening sacrifice. After the heathen priests’ failure

with their sacrifice, Elijah took his turn. He was deliberate. The time

of day drew attention to God’s redemptive plan revealed in the sanc-

tuary service (compare Exod. 29:41). The invitation “ ‘Come near to

me’ ” (1 Kings 18:30, NKJV) reminds us of the Savior’s welcoming

sinners (compare Matt. 11:28). Parents who are pained at the way-

wardness of a child can be assured God loves him or her as truly as He

loved the Israelites. God works unceasingly to draw wayward ones to

Him.

Elijah’s focus on Jehovah’s altar finds its equivalent in our time

when Jesus and His saving grace are uplifted in families. Family wor-

ship is an opportunity to talk to Him in prayer, to speak of Him to one

another, to receive anew His free gift of salvation, and to give our

hearts time to reflect on His teachings.

The response Elijah requested would signal that God had taken

them back to Himself. First Kings 18:37 says, “ ‘That this people may

know . . . You have turned their hearts back to You again’ ”

(NKJV).

We cannot turn our hearts to God; we can only respond to His grace,

and that He freely gives.

The all-consuming fire fell, not upon the guilty but upon the sacri-

fice, pointing forward to Jesus, who was made “sin for us, that we

might become the righteousness of God in Him”

(2 Cor. 5:21, NKJV).

Confession and praise burst from the people’s lips. Because they did

not respond to God’s call, the false priests were executed. Then

refreshing rains ended the curse upon the land.

In what condition is your home altar? What specific ways can

build

the altar in y

our home

, if indeed it needs some

rebuilding?

100

WEDNESDAY

March 22

Turning Hearts at the Jordan

Alongside Gabriel’s prediction (Luke 1:17) and Jesus’ confirmation

of John the Baptist as the predicted Elijah (Matt. 11:14; 17:12, 13),

the Gospel writers affirm that he was the “messenger” who would pre-

pare the way of the Lord (Matt. 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 7:27; compare

Mal. 3:1).

Note

the main aspects of John’s message. In what way is his message

one of heart-turning? Matt. 3:2, 8; 14:4; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3, 8, 9,

11, 13, 14.

____________________________________________________________________

Like a farmer who plows hard ground to prepare it to receive seed,

John denounced sin and urged sinners to repent. Human nature is such

that, without self-examination, without an awareness of one’s true

condition, no need is felt for something better. His message turned

people toward the holiness of God’s requirements and their need of

His perfect righteousness. Genuine repentance is always marked by

humility and looking to God for help to change one’s behavior. By

exposing the shallow, self-centered hypocrisy of those who claimed

Abraham as their father, he sought to open the deeper meaning of the

faith of their fathers.

How

did the message of John the Baptist prepare the way for Jesus?

John 1:35-37, 3:27-30.

John had been shown that Jesus was the Lamb of God. When he

introduced Jesus this way

(John 1:29, 36), he literally turned people to

the Lord. Andrew and another of John’s disciples, John—the Gospel

writer who wrote the account of that day—left the Baptist’s side and

became the first of Jesus’ disciples. Not only does the Elijah message

point to the need for repentance; it identifies the One who saves from

sin, generates excitement about Him, and introduces people to Him.

If John the Baptist were to step into your home, what do you

think he w

ould be sa

ying to y

ou?

101

THURSDAY

March 23

Turning Hearts in the Last Days

In a sense, we as Adventists see ourselves in the role of John the

Baptist. The herald of reform and repentance sought to prepare the

way for the first coming of Jesus; we, as a movement, see ourselves

doing the same for the Second Coming.

Read

prayerfully Luke 1:17. How do these words capture our mes-

sage?

____________________________________________________________________

The heavenly Father has turned the hearts of His children back to

Himself and has turned the hearts of His children to one another

through the Cross of Christ. The Elijah message pleads with families

to believe this incredible good news

(2 Cor. 5:18-21; compare Eph.

2:11-18) and to be people filled with grace as His Spirit yields a har-

vest of love in them.

The world needs desperately a demonstration of unselfish caring,

lasting commitment, and unswerving devotion to God. By God’s grace

Christian families can provide such a demonstration. Yet, we must

remember that the message we have for the world is also for ourselves.

Until the principles of gospel, of unity, of love, of self-sacrifice are

made manifest among us, especially in our own families, we will be

powerless to share this message with others. All the eloquent sermons,

all the logic and biblical presentations, aren’t enough: The world needs

to see manifest in our lives, especially in our family lives, the repent-

ance, the turned hearts, the love, and the commitment we preach about.

Just as John the Baptist had a power that changed lives and made his

preaching effective, we can do the same through the grace of God, but

only to the degree in which we are willing to cooperate.

We are, through Jesus, part of the family in heaven

(Eph. 3:15).

Thus, whether we are a family of one or more, we are called to be wit-

nesses for the God w

e profess to serve, and nothing can make our wit-

ness more effective than to show the world what a family, regardless

of its size, can be through the po

er of the gospel.

What can you do, in a special way, to show those closest to you,

whether immediate family or others, that you love and care

bout them?

102

FRIDAY

March 24

Further Study:

Ellen G. White, “Carmel,” Prophets and Kings,

pp. 143–154; “The Voice in the Wilderness,” The Desire of Ages,

pp. 97–108.

A message to prepare a people. “Our message must be as direct as

was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding

the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips.

Our work in this age must be as faithfully done.”—Ellen G. White

Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1184.

Discussion Questions:

● As a class, discuss the relevance of the Elijah message to your

local church. What can you do to help your church understand

the message and its role in helping to spread it?

● Have those who are willing share with the class their own per-

sonal experiences of having their hearts turned. What changes

came about? What difference did this experience have upon their

lives and the lives of their families?

● If we see ourselves in the role of John the Baptist, what should

we expect to happen to us? What is the implicit message in that

answer?

● As a class, work on a paragraph, a kind of “Declaration of

Family Principles,” that best encapsulates what the biblical idea

for a family is. Be prepared to share it with the whole church.

Summary:

An appeal for faith in God and acceptance of His recon-

ciling gospel of grace is going forth today just before Christ returns.

A positive response to this good news alone secures the bonds of

earthly children to the heavenly Father, as well as parents and children

to one another.

tor

INSIDE

103

The Late Visitor

by ELIJAH ANGELOV

I was a pastor in a charismatic church in Bulgaria for years. Then the

Adventists held evangelistic meetings in my village. I was sure that

Adventists did not have the Holy Spirit, for they did not speak in tongues.

But I decided to attend the meetings, just to hear what these people said

about God.

I was shocked by the compelling Bible truths that were presented, that

Saturday is God’s holy day and that the soul does not go directly to heaven

or hell after death. The subjects were clearly presented and backed by

Bible texts.

As I searched the Bible, I became convinced that what the Adventists

teach was the truth. Others tried to convince me that Adventists are wrong,

but they could not back their statements from the Bible. I continued pray-

ing and studying the Bible.

My wife, Zoya, attended the meetings too. She noticed my distress and

asked me, “Are you thinking about what the Adventists teach too?”

“Yes I am,” I told her.

We did not join the Adventists during those meetings, but we continued

studying the Bible and struggling over what God wanted us to do. Then

one day months later, Zoya told me, “I am convinced that the Sabbath

message is correct.”

I asked her how she came to that conclusion.

“I asked God plainly,” she said. “I told God that if the Adventists are His

people, and if I am wrong, then please send Sister Nina to our home to tell

me, ‘Do not waver, the Sabbath is God’s truth.’ If this happens, then I will

be convinced that Adventists are right. But send Nina today. Otherwise I

will know that Adventists are wrong.

“The hours dragged by,” Zoya continued. “Noon passed, and Sister Nina

had not come. Dinner was over, and still she had not come. Soon it was

time for bed, and Nina was not there. I decided that the message the

Adventists teach is wrong.

“I was ready for bed when someone knocked at the door. It was Nina.

She did not mince words, but said, ‘Sister Zoya, do not waver. The Sabbath

is God’s truth.’ I started to cry and shout, ‘Praise the Lord!’

“Then Nina told me she had resisted an impulse to come see us all day.

But finally she could not wait any longer, so she came.”

I praised God, too, for opening our minds and showing us His power and

His tr

uth.

ELIJ

and ZO

ANGELO

live in Bulg

aria.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness.

email:info@adventistmission.org website:www.adventistmission.org

104

2006

Bible Study Guide for the Second Quarter

The Holy Spirit, our study for the next quarter, is based on a previ-

ously published Bible study guide, written by the late Arnold V.

Wallenkampf. While the lessons will present a doctrinal picture of the

Holy Spirit, they also will emphasize the daily and practical aspect of

His work in our lives. The powerful reality of His work is manifested

not only in our personal experiences but in the life and power of the

church. Thus, we deal extensively with the vivifying power of the

Spirit as we seek to present Him as God’s regenerating Agent.

Lesson 1

—The Personality and Divinity of the Holy Spirit

The Week at a Glance:

SUNDAY : The Triune God

MONDAY: God the Holy Spirit

TUESDAY: God the Holy Spirit: Continued (Acts 5:3, 4)

WEDNESDAY: The Unity of God (Matt. 28:19, 2 Cor. 13:14)

THURSDAY: Evidences of the Spirit’s Personality

Memory Text—

Matthew 28:19

Sabbath Gem:

This week we’ll concentrate on one often mis-

understood aspect of the Holy Spirit: His Divinity. The Holy Spirit

is not just some impersonal force that emanates from God. Instead,

He is God, one of the three Persons who make up the Godhead of

the Christian faith.

Lesson 2

—The Holy Spirit Symbolized in Scripture

The Week at a Glance:

SUNDAY: Dove (John 1:32)

MONDAY: Water (John 7:37-39, RSV).

TUESDAY: Oil (Matt. 25:1-4)

WEDNESDAY: Seal and Guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22, RSV)

THURSDAY: Light and Fire (John 1:9)

Memory Text—

John 3:8

Sabbath Gem:

The Spirit is frequently alluded to through the use

of a variety of symbols. It only is through an acquaintance with the

symbols, emblems, or illustrations used for the Spirit that His work

and ministry in the believer’s life can be adequately understood.

Lessons for the V

isually Impair

ed:

The regular Adult Sab

bath

School Bible Study Guide is available free each month in braille and on audiocassette

to sight-impaired and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink

print. This includes individuals who, because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis,

accident, old age

, and so f

th, cannot hold or f

ocus on normal ink-print publications.

Contact Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.

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